Emir's PPG Collection
by Nonamenonamenonameplease
Summary: My PPG series from late 2005. The girls grow and gain new allies just in time to battle their greatest foe yet, and it isn't Mojo. Rated T just to be safe.
1. Puff Of Burden

Note: This series was rewritten and reposted in late 2005 from something I wrote around 2002. Just to clarify some details, the actual first episode here was a parody of It's A Wonderful Life that centered around Buttercup, in which she meets a guardian angel-like entity named Mint who looks and sounds just like her; discovers her own unique power; learns her reason for existing; becomes a better person; and patches up conflicts amongst her sisters and father. It also revealed that Prof. Utonium named her Buttercup because it's his favorite flower, and that after the volcano incident from Get Back Jojo, his family doctor prescribed aromatherapy to curb his bad behavior and buttercups did the job best even into his adulthood. I deleted the story because (A) it turned out more poorly than usual, (B) I felt it was too much like someone else's story I'd read beforehand, and (C) I felt like I was blaming Buttercup more than the others for her misery. Hope this helps. Enjoy!

Changes around Townsville took some getting used to with each passing day. After battling that seemingly indestructible lizard which Blossom and Bubbles inadvertently put out, nobody recognized Buttercup anymore. She retained her sporty ways but kept true to her promise about becoming a new girl. Countless times did someone expect her to do something drastic, only to receive a surprise the very next moment. In return, Professor Utonium also kept his promise of treating the brunette with just as much consideration as his other two daughters. Such good manners often made Blossom envious since the redhead was once the best behaved. Petty squabbles erupted often without anything major, though, so life was basically good again. But there soon came a time when the Utonium household learned Buttercup wouldn't be the only one experiencing such advancements.

That day began with a rare calm morning. Indeed, Townsville seldom got a chance to truly relax like this. No monsters or even the most minor of evildoers felt like causing mischief just yet. Was someone, good or bad, carrying out an experiment in secret? Probably. Did a terrorist organization abduct citizens while they slept? Nope. Most of the day's action occurred through cleanup at the Utonium household. Buttercup still wasn't fond of it but nevertheless followed the request through vacuuming carpets. Bubbles dusted off furniture like nothing. While scrubbing walls, a disgruntled Blossom paused often to observe her effort. "No." She scrubbed a little harder. "Not it." Even harder. "Not it either."

That's when Buttercup crossed Bubbles' path. "I didn't think you liked cleaning, Buttercup!" the latter called.

The former turned off the vacuum cleaner. "What'd you say?"

"I said I didn't think you liked cleaning. You're doing a good job."

Buttercup shrugged. "Well, things change. Just because it's necessary doesn't mean it'll be enjoyable." The next spoken line drew away their attention.

"Darn you, stupid wall! Why don't you just clean?" Blossom was at her wits' end by now. The section of wall on her left with the kitchen on the opposite side looked well scrubbed enough, but the team leader believed otherwise. So she gritted her teeth and proceeded to scrape it instead had the other two not restrained her. "Hey! This is no time for games, I got a job to do!"

"That's not a job," Bubbles protested, "You're hurting the poor wall."

"It's dirty," Blossom reasoned, "Professor won't stand it if we don't put in our fullest. You two aren't putting in enough effort." The two released her.

"Yes, we are," Buttercup said, "You're just trying too hard."

"Don't you even notice how dusty these walls are? The color is dulled. It's like nobody cleaned them in centuries."

"Nah, can't be that long," Bubbles put in, "We didn't exist centuries ago."

"Blossom, that's their natural paint job," Buttercup said, "If you keep this up, you'll be paying for a new wall." The green 'puff then took a closer look at the previously scrubbed spot. "On second thought, you may be paying sooner than we think."

Blossom did a double take and gasped at miniature abrasions. "Oops! You're absolutely right! Don't anybody move, I'll be back!" Pink flashes indicated a quick trip into the nearest storage closet and instant repairs to those abrasions. Then she relaxed to admire the job. "And not a blemish remaining."

That's when the curious professor returned from the laundry room. "What's the commotion, girls?"

"Abrasions?" Blossom mock-wondered, "What abrasions? I don't see any." The professor only looked confused.

"Blossom said the walls hadn't been cleaned in centur-mmph!" Bubbles attempted explaining the situation but got no further when her pink-clad sister covered her mouth.

"Nothing!" Blossom declared, "Nothing at all! I fixed it!"

Not wanting to start a fight, Buttercup gently pulled her sister away from Bubbles and calmly explained more. "Blossom scraped the wall trying to clean it, but she repaired the damage."

"Buttercup!" Blossom complained.

"It's alright, Blossom," the professor assured, "Just carry on and please try to be a little more careful."

As the man of the house departed, the pink 'puff shot Buttercup a dirty look. "Drop it, okay?" the green-clad one replied, gently nudging her sister. So all shrugged and returned to work.

Bubbles and Buttercup rested on the couch two hours later while Blossom returned to scrubbing a spot she already cleaned a short while before the previous incident. Such stretched time only made her sisters look at her strangely and shake their heads. Unlike everybody else, the leader felt she needed extra time to handle 'minor details'. Buttercup's previous life-changing experience must've driven Blossom into overtime, and the former wondered if the latter thought the same but chose not to approach her on it. On the other hand, Bubbles couldn't help receiving the same answer every day since the fight with that lizard monster. If said suspicions were true, Blossom felt she needed not give the brunette too much satisfaction. The girl in question leaned against the couch with arms crossed and a resigned expression. Bubbles let her arms droop while sitting upright. "Does it really take this long to clean stuff?"

"No, Bubbles. She just takes her sweet time."

"Yeah, too sweet. Does she think the world's gonna end if she doesn't spend so long?"

"That's just Blossom for ya."

"You bet!" the redhead declared, completing her task, "I'm a responsible lady, after all. I have my wits about me."

"But Blossom, we're only children," Bubbles protested, "You go over the same section at least 500 times and make the day look like Monday morning. The world's not gonna end if you move quicker."

"It's no use," Buttercup said, "I've already told her the same."

With her brunette sister heading into the kitchen for a snack, Blossom could only playfully shake her head and roll her eyes. "Buttercup just doesn't appreciate the finer things in life. I can see the carpet's dirt tan all the way from Detroit."

"I heard that!" came an irritated reply.

Blossom giggled. "I'll meet you later." Bubbles watched her float up the stairs to the bedroom.

The afternoon on up to 6 o'clock passed with little fuss. No trouble outside ruined such a beautiful day, at least to a certain extent. Unless someone piloted a satellite having a powerful enough microscope, a nanobot like those the PPG stopped from 'eating' Townsville slinked about unseen by the naked eye. Perhaps that fight gave it a mind of its own, or it wouldn't've demonstrated the following characteristics: controlling its 'appetite', holding a grudge, or scheming. Where exactly did the nanobots originate from anyway? Escape out of a government facility? Created by Mojo Jojo? Alien species? Nobody knew for sure, and talk of it died quickly. Reaching the Utonium residence, the tiny machine easily slipped underneath the door and successfully slinked its way to the lab without doing anything else just yet. In the meantime, all except one individual felt like spending the day outdoors. Blossom preferred making plans while learning a new language. "Whatcha doing, Blossom?" the professor asked.

"Oh, the usual. I'm working on my latest battle plan and brushing up on my latest foreign language: Arabic. Multitasking, if you will."

"There'll be plenty of time at school tomorrow. You should come and join us outside for family fun. The evening's still young, and multitasking isn't all that healthy. You'll overload your brain."

"Eh, I'll manage. You and the others go on ahead." He acknowledged and walked away. Possibly out of unconscious instinct, she placed her desk near the windows to absorb the late sunlight head-on. Minutes passed before both factions busied themselves in whatever manner they wished. Blossom often looked out one window throughout the hour to smile at her sisters and father play what appeared to be charades.

"You're both very good," the professor complimented after a giggling fit.

"Thanks, Professor," Bubbles replied, "But you know, it doesn't feel the same without Blossom around." The happy mood faltered as all eyes darted up towards the three bedroom windows. Blossom must've been buried more than she seemed, because she ignored even glimpsing them this time. "What's she doing?"

"Studying Arabic and drawing up a battle strategy," the professor said, "No games for her, so it seems."

"She's growing up too fast," Buttercup said, "I mean, I know she's the leader an' all, but she should have time to loosen up a bit."

"I know. Yeah, I personally agree that Blossom's straining herself too hard. But we can't just force her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"She also takes her sweet time cleaning walls," Bubbles added.

"I know that too. But Blossom has a mind of her own. Like I said, we can't force her to go through changes like these so quickly. Buttercup, you should understand since you have experience in this area. Blossom's turn will come, and so will yours, Bubbles. I can't say when exactly. Meanwhile, we must let time run its course and be the best family we can for her. Understand?" The pair faced each other before nodding yes and returning to the game.

Preparation for bedtime was history. Blossom remained virtually glued to the necessary tasks save for introducing new vocabulary all the while. Pronouncing the Arabic phrase 'masaa al-kheer', Buttercup assumed the redhead had something stuck in her mouth until she explained that it could mean 'good afternoon', 'good evening', and also 'good night'. (A/N: I learned this from my dad.) Even though Bubbles and Buttercup would've preferred otherwise, they once again couldn't help admiring how much Blossom learned in just one hour; talk about a quick learner! Blossom wanted to remain awake just to give her latest strategy the final touches, but the professor insisted she just leave it for tomorrow. And there was no disobeying adult authority.

Everything became dark and quiet little by little. In the laboratory's farthest corner, the nanobot immediately sprang alive. When it heard not so much as a pin dropping, it deemed the moment right to make a move. Being so small certainly increased distance even between the closest bordering of objects. But it wasn't long until the machine slinked into and infected its intended target: Dynamo. The larger robot had been inert ever since the mayor condemned her use. What started as a protective attempt for the girls ended up contributing to Townsville's destruction. Perhaps Prof. Utonium shouldn't've relied on heat-seeking technology had he realized the monster was colder than his surroundings, for starters. Now Dynamo was about to lose her dusty coating. Once the nanobot found a suitable area to initiate control, dim flashing light signified a sort of machine fusion. It disturbed no one.

At their clock's beeping the next morning, Blossom once again just had to be the first person awake. "Sebah al-kheer! Time for school, girls!" This announcement relieved the others a bit, seeing how everybody learned something new at school every day. Maybe today's lessons included moderation.

But no. All the while the nanobot waited for the right opportunity to strike, little else yet stirred anyplace besides Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. Blossom balanced between taking notes on the day's lesson (quite a complicated version of kindergarten!) and continuing on the new fighting plan. Ms. Keane apparently never caught her even once. Anyone else only merely glimpsed it; her sisters saw these actions in full detail since they sat at the same table and also thought they caught her one eye flinching. Blossom finished drawing up the plan soon enough despite guilt over doing something else during a lesson. When the recess bell sounded, the teacher released everyone except the pink 'puff. "Hold up there, Blossom. We must talk."

She had every reason to be nervous, what with her almost completely spotless record. "Yes, Ms. Keane?"

"I see we've become the sly little expert of multitasking."

"Come again?"

"Let me see what you've drawn. And yes, I did see you drawing something the whole time." Ms. Keane accepted the piece of paper Blossom withdrew from her belt, inspected it, and handed it back just as quickly. "Ah. More 'tactical maneuvers', I see."

"Yeah. But if you knew the whole time, why didn't you stop me?"

"You've done this for about a week now. Lecturing you in front of the whole class just got tiring. Is everything okay?"

"Eh, you know me. Danger never sleeps; as Powerpuff leader, I gotta keep a plan in hand no matter what. You never know what lies around the corner."

"True. But you can always wait until I'm finished talking. You're only in kindergarten, after all; you've got plenty of time."

"What can I say? 'Time waits for no man or woman', so the expression goes."

"Just try to do it in your own leisurely time and not let it interfere in schoolwork. All that work will cause your brain to short-circuit if you keep straining. Now why don't you just head on outside and relax with some mind-easing festivities." Ms. Keane nudged a shrugging Blossom out the door. It seemed a funny fact the very teacher who let her students suffer before and held education above worldwide security still cared.

On the playground, no one bothered poking fun about 'the teacher's pet getting in trouble' thankfully. What should she do for amusement today? Rope-jumping? Chalk drawings? Simply toss a ball around? Blossom would've preferred being indoors to continue her Arabic lessons just like yesterday. An announcement from Bubbles soon made the decision for her. "C'mon, Blossom! We're having a chalk-drawing contest!" Guess that settled that decision. Oh well, at least it was something. The contest looked more like some construction project than just a regular activity. The PPG each functioned on different teams of three with everyone else watching silently. A few preferred doing otherwise but made no attempt to interrupt. Bubbles and her group mates did well since she boasted much experience in this area. Buttercup enjoyed herself quite a bit where she would've scoffed a long time ago despite the mistakes her group made.

But the thing drawn by Blossom's faction stirred up the most controversy while taking up nearly a fraction of the pavement: a target composed of clean, unbroken white circles. In the exact middle, some messy figure appeared as being torn up by some unknown force with great velocity. Blossom already explained it to the other two kids, so they required no further reminders as much as a nod of when to begin the next action. Everybody curiously surrounded the circles. "This looks like a dartboard," one stated.

"What's the target?" another wondered.

Blossom, lofty as she may be at the sight, still felt a tad irked. "Hmm…"

"Me and my group drew a big rainbow fish!" Bubbles said, "What'd you draw, Buttercup?"

"Eh, just a big mess," was the answer, "But I don't care. I guess it felt good to try something different. How 'bout you, Blossom?"

"Well…"

Things grew no more different when the girls arrived home. Bubbles didn't mind Blossom – floating about, holding a paper and pencil, ignoring everything else, and studying the paper – as much as she did the pencil crumbs on the floor. She gasped and flew to the professor down in the lab. "Professor! Professor!"

Said adult looked up from his work. "Yes, Bubbles?"

"You gotta come see this!" Not waiting for more questions, the blond took the adult's hand and brought him back into the living room to see the mess. "Look."

Prof. Utonium wasn't as deadly stricken about a diffused mess. "Pencil crumbs."

"You better believe it!" Bubbles continued, "A poor pencil somewhere is injured and needs help!"

"What's going on?" Buttercup asked, entering the room, "Where's the fight?"

"No fight!" Bubbles repeated, "An injured pencil! No telling how much time it has left!"

Buttercup clutched her own temples. "Oh, Bubbles. You make the simplest things look difficult. It's just a mess." Then all eyes diverted toward Blossom, who levitated around the room – ignorant as ever – and stopped right next to her brood.

"Now, if we move along here, make a turn at this point…oh, but that'll take too long…" What happened next revealed guilt: She nervously chewed the pencil and spat out a crumb without realizing it. "This part needs a tweak…" Then she noticed the others. "Oh, hello. What's going on?" A dart of her eyes toward the floor instigated surprise. "Where'd these pencil crumbs come from? Buttercup, you call this a vacuum job? Or did someone make a new mess?"

"Uh, Blossom?" the professor countered, "Take a look at that pencil and compare it to the crumbs."

Blossom did just that very slowly, followed by another glance to the others and a nervous smile. "Heh. Silly me. I barely recall a thing." It must've been a long pencil despite the mess' diffused appearance.

"You hurt the poor pencil," Bubbles said.

Blossom touched down while the professor knelt to her eye level. "Buttercup, Bubbles, you go on ahead someplace. I must have a word with your sister." Said two flew out into the front yard. A heavy sigh preceded statements that may as well have contradicted the advice the professor gave yesterday. "Blossom, people only chew writing tools when they're edgy, but you've taken it to a higher level. You may not act your true age, but you're still far too young for this kind of heavy stress. Are you sure you can handle the load?"

The child preferred walking away. "Professor, I've heard this all more times than I can count. 'Take it easy, take it slow. Enjoy being a kid while it lasts.' I already know. I can handle it no sweat."

"Well, you know. Just as it's you girls' sworn duty as heroes to protect Townsville, it's my sworn duty as a parent to ensure your comfort."

"You've got nothing to worry about. I'm a Powerpuff, after all." With that conversation done, the professor shrugged his shoulders and took Blossom's word for it. Who knows, she might actually take repeated words into consideration today. But answering the buzzing hotline detained her from answering. "Hello? …You don't say. How'd they come back? …Huh. Yeah, we're on it." She hung up and flew outside to inform the others. "Girls! Massive nanobot infestation! Just like those we destroyed not too long ago!"

"Again?" Buttercup complained, "I thought we took care of 'em."

"Well, they're back. At least they're only rampaging through the streets without eating anything, so that makes it a tad easier. So, you coming?" The two exchanged looks before shrugging and flying off. Dozens of new composition figures did nothing more than march through the streets, causing only minor damage but damage nonetheless. Utility poles fell over and got reduced to a million pieces underneath all metal feet. The monobots casually passed strolling people who instinctively remained still. A few vehicles tumbled over upon contact, but the PPG fortunately arrived to save the occupants' lives. That's when the marching ceased. "Okay, robots, the march ends here!"

"The Powerpuff Girls will teach you how to play nice!" Bubbles added.

"Yeah!" Buttercup chimed, "So make a move!" In response, the monobots gladly complied and dog-piled on the girls while waving their claws and feet. It didn't seem like much of a strategy at first since the trio easily bashed up one after another, but Buttercup and Bubbles felt deluge wave over: Would these things just keep coming until fatigue transpired Townsville's undoing? Blossom, however, appeared more dramatic as the monobots gave an encore and again combined into a single solitary mass. The last time this sort of thing happened, all attempts of even knocking it down proved futile. But this super monobot stood approximately 48 feet tall; it wouldn't take much to understand what inevitable damage it was capable of. It's show time, Blossom nervously thought. Claw punching missed each girl and instead made craters that sent chunks of concrete sailing around. Windows were shattered, and any civilians present got knocked out from blows in the backs of their heads (no serious injuries). And even though following kicks just tumbled some empty abandoned buildings, Blossom executed her plan knowing that these consecutive coincidences wouldn't last.

"Girls! Triangulate, now!" Blossom floated on the super monobot's left side, Bubbles directly behind, and Buttercup on the right. The opponent in question watched curiously. "Twister time!" Blossom then flew around it in circles, creating a loop much like Saturn's rings while the other two waited. Noticing slight levitation on the monobot's part, they found their right moments and immediately followed suit. The square was filled with a messy colorful tornado which lifted far above the cityscape. The super monobot fell victim to multiple gashes as the flight intensity of each girl passing by ripped it to shreds. Only Blossom didn't feel enthusiastic afterward.

"Woo hoo!" Buttercup cheered, "Another one for the sisters Puff!"

"You said it!" Bubbles agreed, exchanging a high-five.

"Wrong," Blossom stated, ruining the moment, "All wrong."

"What're you talking about?" Bubbles wondered, "We did great!"

"No. Our aim was off in many places."

"Crazy talk," Buttercup said, "Like Bubbles said, we did great. The giant robot's gone." Later on after school and lunch, the PPG went through a series of extra-tough fights in the simulation room involving the very same tornado. Real fights had grown quite nasty since their earlier days as superheroes, hence why the professor added higher levels than 11. Actually, Blossom insisted they remain on Danger Level 10 throughout since it provided an appropriate amount of challenge while also seeming like easy pickings. This new fatigue hardly compared to what they faced earlier. "Can we please take a rest?" Buttercup insisted, "We've practiced at least nine times now!"

"Yeah," came the professor's voice over the intercom, "I'm amazed you haven't fainted by now."

"Well…errr…" Blossom puffed.

"C'mon, Blossom," Bubbles urged, "We're tired."

"I'm not satisfied with the results, but I suppose it's close enough." The PPG floated out of the chamber into the hallway. After turning off the lights, Prof. Utonium joined them upstairs and gave Blossom another talking-to.

"Blossom, what's the meaning of tiring yourself and your sisters out like that? Do you even realize how dangerous that is? Good thing I came when I did. I could feel the tornado's intensity in my dreams."

"Of course!" Blossom realized, "I knew I forgot something. The intensity's too weak."

"Oh, no, it isn't. Any stronger, and you girls would've ripped the house apart. Blossom, I'm beginning to agree with your sisters: You must learn how to relax."

Blossom breathed deeply, not wanting to throw a conniption, and faced everyone indignantly. "I can't relax. As our protectorate, Townsville demands the most in us. One slip-up causes irreversible damage. How much destruction have we contributed in the past months? Criminals, villains, and monsters aren't the only ones guilty. Townsville receives more disasters than humanely reasonable. People die, but even Los Angeles doesn't compare. Being leader, I have a larger responsibility to keep my sisters in line and prevent incidents such as these from claiming anyone too soon."

Bubbles and Buttercup huffed at feeling belittled. The professor took on a stern though not entirely angry voice. "Okay, young lady, that's going too far. You're technically correct, but what makes you think pressuring yourself so won't do the same if not worse?"

"You don't understand." Blossom floated towards the front door.

"Where're you going?" Bubbles asked.

"Up to the roof to do some thinking." Even though she didn't slam it, the professor couldn't help abandoning the stern voice with a soft sigh.

"Looks like she's having another 'jinx' episode," Buttercup said.

"What do you mean?" the professor asked. So the two explained the previous scuffle downtown. He wasn't too surprised to hear that the nanobots had returned but felt relieved of how his girls' latest maneuver ended it all. Buttercup had changed though she still got plenty annoyed with Bubbles' constant interruptions. Once the professor absorbed every word, they all decided it best to leave Blossom alone until she cooled down.

On the roof Blossom sat, reflecting on her life. At least the beautiful nighttime sky provided solace not found even in loved ones; that she could count on. The redhead knew darn well she and her family had hurt Townsville as much as they'd helped although she wished to admit otherwise. None of the PPG could help smashing things up in what should've been a simple game of tag. They'd only come into existence the preceding day, so Blossom still had yet to develop her moral coordination. She usually accepted such lessons from their father first, so she better understood his pain at making a seemingly unforgivable mistake. Dynamo was a crucial example. Brrrrr! Blossom thought. Practically all of Townsville ended up dead because of that accursed battle robot, even though it rebuilt itself in population and structures in such an insanely small amount of time. Having been on vacation then, Mojo Jojo obviously wasn't pleased at seeing his lair reduced to a crater (why hadn't lava poured out?). Two other memories especially stuck out: stealing expensive golf clubs and putting senior citizens in traction.

Father's Day? Some occasion. Prof. Utonium ate his own compliments about past gifts when he came across those clubs in the shop window. The PPG assembled a set rather sloppily, attempted selling beverages and snacks no doubt at prices just as outrageous, and even tried asking for money from the mayor. All that remained was…robbery? Driven mad by her ego, Blossom's true character left as she swiped the set. 200 hours of community service seriously bogged down what with animals and civilians alike staring with disgust. Neither she nor the professor forgave themselves for that.

And what of Captain Righteous, Lefty, and the Ministry of Pain? Rather than take up arms against old-time villains like they usually did for risk of disrespecting seniors, Blossom instead thought up lies to enlist old-time heroes for the job. Thinking about it shed light upon two inconsistencies. First of all, her morality took charge at the wrong time. Secondly, acting out of character right after resulted in suffering experiences for the old people and her sisters' degrading disappointment. Ever since then, Blossom sometimes found herself wondering if she did the right thing since neither Capt. Righteous nor Lefty confronted her.

"Blossom!" the professor soon called, "Time for bed!" Yawning and sighing, Blossom departed the roof and floated through the front door rather than a bedroom window. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

Once more, Townsville got treated to a pleasant morning. Pleasantries lasted quite a ways through the school day. No contests or other started up, and new chalk drawings replaced the old in a snap. Blossom found her right moment in sitting underneath a tree continuing her Arabic studies, but yesterday's stress really made it all the more difficult. She'd slipped up pronouncing 'metassef', or 'sorry', four times now. Deep breaths hardly helped. "I can do this…I can do this…Focus, darn it! Focus! …Just hope the forces of evil are on vacation today."

Ironically, that's when the nanobot made its next move. Prof. Utonium just minded his own business cleaning dishes, unaware of today's possibilities. A rumbling floor tipped his attention instantly; he nearly dropped a plate and almost didn't catch a mug on the counter edge. "Strange. The news said nothing about an earthquake. And it feels like it's coming from…" Widened eyes didn't let him finish his sentence. Carefully placing the dishes down in a special basket, the professor instinctively ran towards a certain room downstairs but got thrown off his feet when an explosion made a crater right next to the garage. "It can't be." He ran outside and received a major shock. "Oh, no! I've got to call the girls!"

"What's that?" a classmate asked, observing another chalk drawing by Bubbles.

"It's supposed to be a…a…an o-ka-pi, but now it looks like a messy zebra," was the answer. Then came the buzzing hotline, which she promptly answered. "Hello? …Oh, hi Professor! Never expected you to call. Having a nice day, too? …What? …Really? …Okay, I'll tell the girls!" Bubbles zoomed back outside, but she had to return a moment to put the mouthpiece back on properly after missing the receiver. "Buttercup! Blossom!" The aforementioned individuals joined their sister. "You'll never guess what's going on!"

"Bubbles, I don't like guessing games," Buttercup said, "Now just get to the point."

"One word: Dynamo's on the loose! No wait, that's four words. But you get what I mean!"

Blossom's book appeared to drop in slow motion. She knew the Dynamo's very existence was a bad idea from the start. Townsville's destruction tarnished their heroic records enough. Whoever stole her now, there's no telling what kind of power such an almost invincible weapon would provide. They had to eliminate her permanently! "Let's go." Nearing total emotional lack in her voice made everybody step back as she flew away. Bubbles and Buttercup also felt their classmates' uneasiness and took five seconds to follow suit.

Citizens instinctively knew the drill, but they couldn't believe the sight. Dynamo may as well have switched places with that fish balloon even though she ate everything instead of blasting or otherwise destroying. She kicked up concrete bits into her mouth and swallowed them whole. Entire utility poles with wires still spouting raw electricity vanished in twenty-five bites. Long gulps befell spires. Workers fled rubble from yesterday's leveling which Dynamo crammed into her jowls. Didn't the Utonium family remember the permanent restriction? Obviously, a few faithful thought. And what of all this 'snacking'? On the plus side, little to no casualties came forth. The PPG's thoughts wandered a tad elsewhere. "Typical," Buttercup commented, "It was only a matter of time. I never liked this no-good walking scrap heap from the start."

"My sentiments exactly," Blossom agreed, "Why didn't he just destroy it?"

"That's the professor for you," Bubbles shrugged. (A/N: Yes, you guessed right. Another excerpt from another episode I neither have nor will see: Live And Let Dynamo.) Voiceless, Dynamo broke away from her 'meal' and stood up to face the girls while keeping distance. Tranquility dominated the battlefield. The girls knew why they mustn't attack yet. Dynamo practically had the advantage what with her anti-aggressor exo-deflector array: Extra-tough fish needles couldn't break through, much less measly eye lasers and physical blows. Not to mention all that titanium! So what was the machine's reason?

"Okay, we got its attention," Buttercup said, "Now what?"

"Just wait," Blossom instructed. As if on cue, a cannon opened up on the hair above Dynamo's head with a missile ready for launch. "Now!" The PPG targeted that cannon and sped forward. If not mistaken, both the robot and the last monster shared a common flaw: strong outside, weak inside. Blossom figured they could take advantage of this and rip it apart inside out. But alas, the trio just didn't fly fast enough before the missile fired. Now permanently fused with its host, the nanobot essence probably saw it coming anyhow. "Evasive action!" It missed by only a few inches.

"Missed us!" Bubbles taunted.

"OH NOOOOOOOOO!" Realizing that the projectile was headed for escaping people, Blossom immediately gave chase. After watching their sister leave, Bubbles and Buttercup turned around to see more ammunition ready to go. Dynamo smirked as she rained it all on Townsville for a second time. Not much desolation resulted, however, since the girls caught and eliminated each missile swiftly. Though, Blossom looked as if she was about to faint not from the physical exertion involved but the pressure of keeping people alive and safe. Her effort eventually floundered with the other two catching ammunition headed her way. Meanwhile, Dynamo had a field day flaunting various battle poses while still firing. But with an open mouth and waving her mitt over as if yawning, she soon loomed over a pair of opponents concluding the previous ordeal and on her right ankle trying to rip a slab off.

"Eeerrrgggghhhh!" Buttercup grunted, "Pull! Pull!"

"I am pulling!" Bubbles said. Dynamo put a scowl back on her face and stomped her foot to get the girls off. The impact sent them down into the ground before they staggered back onto ground zero, each immediately facing one of Dynamo's mitts the very next second. She'd grown tired of pointless charades and now wanted to finish the job. Bubbles and Buttercup felt themselves sink inch by inch. "Unh! I can't keep this up! Where's Blossom?"

"She had to take care of more missiles!" was the response.

BOOM! The explosion narrowly missed the crowd. Although Blossom came out in one piece, this would-be incident finally made her snap inside. She quietly slumped to the ground on her knees before falling flat on her back and staring straight up in disgrace. And oh, did the truth hurt. "Professor and Ms. Keane were right: I can't handle the pressure. Now I'm doing worse than before. I don't deserve being leader much less the title of hero."

"Get up, pink pumpkinhead," an old voice spoke sternly. Blossom's eyes widened as a pair of familiar individuals – Capt. Righteous and Lefty – loomed over her, unpleased (the former having made the command).

"You…you…" she stuttered. The pair took her mitts and hoisted her back on her feet.

"Giving up so easily?" Lefty questioned, "Tsk tsk tsk. You kids today."

"If yer mad at me, I understand. I should've been punished for what I did to you. But…"

Capt. Righteous held up a hand. "That's not the point. Boy or girl, no true heroes are degrading themselves on my watch. You just gonna keep wasting time crying in your placemat? I beg to differ."

"But…but I…"

"Nope. I'll hear nothing of the sort." His voice softened a tad. "Just listen, okay? 'Cause back in our day, whenever the pressure of doing the right thing threatened, Lefty and I found a way to create something positive outta the negative. That alone gave us victory in most fights against our enemies. Get the idea? You're only slipping up because you ain't thinking right." He pointed at Blossom's chest. "You gotta take all that angst in here and release it in a healthy way. You're no failure."

"Yes, indeed!" Lefty added, "Heart attacks really don't fit those your age. You must balance between remembering your duties and taking it easy. It's really not that hard."

Blossom started brightening up, although her depression lingered on a certain memory. "Well, even though I'm not used to admitting these things, you're right. But it still doesn't excuse me from sending you to the hospital." Capt. Righteous' next words surprised her.

"Perish the thought, kiddo. We're actually happy of what you did that day."

"You are?"

"Sure am. So we got put in the hospital, but there's more to consider."

"Such as?"

"Ever since we retired, we began fighting amongst ourselves and taking each other for granted. But when I rushed to Lefty's side the day you lied, it was then I realized just how valuable he was to me as a partner and friend. Whenever I die, at least I'll die knowing the city's in good hands."

"I second the emotion," Lefty agreed.

"Gee," Blossom said, "I'm speechless."

Lefty placed a hand on her shoulder. "You should go. Townsville needs your young efforts."

"You can count on it!" So Blossom flew back with a restored spirit. Above the rooftops once more, she saw Dynamo's mitts pile-drive into the pavement. Bubbles and Buttercup had long since been pushed down their entire height and two inches more. Super hearing unveiled their muffled, suffocating cries. "Hey, stupid! Release my sisters right now!" Dynamo's ignorance only peeved off the redhead. "Cold shoulder. Fine by me." But that didn't mean the robot completely dismissed her surroundings. Switching hands for feet, she stood on the two 'puffs (oh, the agony!) and unleashed her heat-seeking arsenal once more. However, time appeared to freeze as Blossom went into a second CGI time sequence. Missiles slowed to a snail's pace. Blossom then zipped about blowing up some with her eye lasers while chemically altering others into ice crystals for deposition on city outskirts.

At normal speed, however, Dynamo bore a shocked expression at seeing a rapid fireworks display leave virtually no trace of hurt on either Blossom or Townsville. The pink 'puff took this opportunity to administer a damaging blow to the battle machine's right eye. It staggered and nearly fell on a building if not for rocket boosters on her feet sending her gently up. A closer inspection revealed complex internal circuitry where the cockpit belonged. Plus, Blossom thought she also saw a familiar thing inside. "What a rush," Buttercup grunted, she and Bubbles rising up, "Finally. I thought we'd never get out."

"Girls!" Blossom exclaimed, "You're not too badly hurt, are you?"

"No," Bubbles answered, "Are you finished being stressed?"

"Almost. I just discovered there's a nanobot controlling Dynamo. But we can't get it out since it's stuck tight."

"Who cares?" Buttercup said, returning to her old self, "I say we rip them both apart like we should've done a long time ago."

"I couldn't agree more. Let's hurry!" In a third CGI sequence, the PPG flew towards Dynamo still holding her mitt over her right eye. She had no seconds to prepare before a twister like they'd done on the last giant robot engulfed her. Flight intensity dissolved fired-off missiles and melted those still inside the cannons. Ice shards, scream waves, and green energy blasts did the gashing this time. Soon enough, the former ultimate in superhero super safety gave her final nervous smile before crumbling into black dust.

"Home run!" Bubbles cheered afterward, exchanging high-fives with her sisters, "Clean sweep! So Blossom, are you finished being stressed now?"

"I think so. Today's a new chapter in…my life…"

Buttercup caught Blossom before she plummeted further. She instantly fell asleep on the brunette's shoulder, of whom gave a pat on the back. "Yeah, that's right. You just rest easy."

Darkness stretched on for countless miles. Blossom's eyes blinked off and on to adjust to the light. Blurry images of her family stood close by with clear voices. "She's…she's…" Bubbles stuttered.

"Yes, Bubbles," the professor said, "She's finally waking up."

Blossom sat straight up on the couch, stretched her limbs, and yawned. "Hoo. What happened? …Wait a second, I remember now. The nanobot! Dynamo! But how'd I get home?"

"I brought you, of course," Buttercup answered, "You've been out for two whole days."

"What? Did anything happen?"

"Don't worry, Blossom," Bubbles assured, "Dynamo and that mean ol' nanobot are history. Nothing big, either."

"And whadja mean by 'a new chapter in yer life'?" Buttercup asked. So began another somewhat wrenching speech from the team brains. From the sound of everything the others heard, it seems Blossom boasted similar emotional insecurities as her green-clad sister. She was a well-known speaker, but nothing prepared anyone for this kind of emotion. Blossom also threw in the bit from a certain pair of retired heroes.

"You get the basic idea: leader, duties, my image as a regular person, etc. I covered a majority this week."

"Aw, Blossom, you don't need to struggle so badly for me or anyone else. We've all got flaws, but you and your sisters will always be angels in my mind. No one can take it away."

"I'm glad you think so. Nevertheless, as I said days ago, Dynamo's destruction marks a new chapter in the Powerpuff history book. That balance of responsibility and repose won't form by itself."

"Wonderful!" He looked towards the living room clock as stomach growling interrupted the moment. "Well, time for lunch." But the girls strayed behind while he entered the kitchen for a private conversation.

"Say, Blossom," Buttercup started, "We owe you an apology for lying to Lefty and Capt. Righteous that one time. You did do the right thing."

"Uh huh," Bubbles added, "We're sorry, Blossom, we didn't know."

"That's okay; neither did I." Not long after lunch, Blossom went back to her Arabic lessons next to the window. Everyone acknowledged her decision when she said she'd join them in a short while. Nature did its work changing her mind about the day via a satisfying ray of sunlight passing on her back and head. Even it wasn't opened, Blossom didn't need to use her super hearing to catch new happy sounds in the yard. She peeked outside, smiled, glanced back to book, closed eyes, shook head no, and floated across the room to place it underneath their bed. Then the girl floated towards the front door. "Everyone's right. You're only young once. Arabic can wait, but the day can't."

The End


	2. Everybody Plays The Fool

"In fact, I can see…better than ever!" Bubbles declared, sitting on the laboratory floor next to a pair of smashed spectacles, "What happened, Professor?"

"Well, as far as I can figure, Buttercup's blast to your eyes must have hit in precisely the exact spot, causing a sort of corrective laser surgery," Prof. Utonium speculated, "I must say, I'm very impressed…" But his voice seemed to fade into and remain gibberish for the rest of the session. Bubbles placed a mitt to where an ear would've belonged.

"What? What'd you say? I can't hear you."

Then something other than gibberish echoed in her head. "Bubbles."

"What, Blossom?" From the blond's POV, the professor continued spouting gibberish with Buttercup and Blossom still staring up in interest as if all frozen in time. Blossom continued calling out her name from thin air rather than the mouth.

"Bubbles…Bubbles…Bubbles…" The scenery distorted into blackness. A pair of blue eyes opened up, and Bubbles found herself lying on the bed. Her sisters patiently hovered above, all three still wearing their nighties; everything that previously occurred towards the echoing had all been a dream.

"Where am I?"

"Still in bed," Buttercup answered, "You'd better get up unless you'd like to be late for school."

"Oh. Right." So they did just that. Little fuss other than the usual morning bustle stirred except for maybe a drizzle outside. Emotions no longer ran too hot or cold at the Utonium residence. After the previous two incidents, Blossom's stress all but departed (she still remembered her own duties). Buttercup still got a tad irritated at times over small things, but she managed just as well. Any trustful figure around was only happy to help these former rivals through their anxieties. Why, they'd also be there for each other. At least they're doing well, Bubbles thought. Although she felt happy for her sisters, the blue 'puff couldn't help feeling sort of left out, as if missing an important holiday festival or other. Ever since they got rid of a nanobot-possessed Dynamo, nothing felt the same even when they did things together. However, that's not to say she didn't understand the situation. The professor said her turn would come. But wondering when exactly yet lingered on her mind.

After everybody got dressed, Buttercup and Blossom commented about the weather at the table. While the professor had nothing to say, the following story provided by Bubbles resulted in what she considered vexing remarks. "Aw, another rainy day," Buttercup complained, "Where did we go wrong?"

"It's not too bad," Blossom countered, "Besides, we haven't had any for a few weeks now. We really needed it."

"But rain means indoor recess. What can we do inside other than schoolwork?"

"How about Arabic? You did say you wanted to try something new. And with us growing up so nicely, it'll be an enlightening experience."

"Oh, okay. If you say so." Bubbles slightly cringed at the words 'growing up'. Catching her expression, Buttercup instead assumed she wanted a word in the conversation. "Whadda you think, Bubbles?"

The blond quickly changed her attitude and the subject. "What? About the rain?"

"Yeah."

"Eh, nothing much. But I had that dream again."

"Which one?"

"You know, with the giant ant?"

"Oh, that dream." Few outside the Utonium family really knew about it, and no one who did gave it a second thought. It seemed like a routine day in Townsville: The PPG got called to eliminate a giant ant eating buildings. Bubbles apparently had trouble with her eyesight and couldn't fight properly until the professor gave her spectacles. Buttercup and Blossom laughed at the sight until the ant snapped them shut in its pincers. Usual eye lasers hardly affected the gargantuan arthropod, but a magnified beam easily blew it to kingdom come. Bubbles got her own laughs of her surviving sisters covered in ant sludge. While she and Blossom told the professor the whole story, one of Buttercup's lasers accidentally fired off and hit Bubbles squarely, breaking the specs and restoring the blond's vision. But hearing problems arose at the end when the remainder of the professor's speculations became jumbled. That's how the dream happened each time, this being second.

"There's no need to be scared, Bubbles," the professor reassured, "You told me to leave the hall light off last night, but I won't hesitate if you still feel that way."

"Yeah," Blossom added, "You know the professor, always willing to help. We're all scared of something."

Bubbles eyed them with minor irritation. "I didn't say that. I just said I had the same dream again." Fortunately, the professor's next words alleviated notions of pressing the subject further.

"Alright, girls, eat your breakfast. Not much longer before the bus arrives. And don't forget your raincoats." So the conversation ended. Despite protection against pneumonia and living a relatively short distance away, the girls preferred riding the bus this time rather than flying to school. They usually made that decision whenever meteorological conditions didn't strike their fancy like right now. Bubbles' singing of drawing a music-making group of bears eased her troubled thoughts quite well, and she remained distracted from them for a short while.

"Mar-…mar-…" Buttercup pronounced. Only a half hour remained until the school day ended. Ms. Keane had finished the lesson and let the students spend the rest of their time leisurely. Blossom went to teaching the brunette how to speak fluent Arabic as promised. Bubbles started out with more crayon drawings but claimed she'd grown bored and now felt like staring up at the ceiling while imagining different images passing by. Everyone actually sucked up to her façade.

"'Marhaba'," Blossom stated, "Mar-hah-buh."

"Hmm…" Bubbles murmured. In reality, she actually needed time to herself to do some thinking. She sat in a beanbag chair as her field of vision panned across various shapes on the plastered ceiling. No one suspected her of anything more than daydreaming; this she used to her advantage to avoid answering bothersome interrogations. Bubbles certainly wasn't jealous that her sisters had begun learning a new language since she already knew plenty. One would say the jealousy revolved around lacking the same maturation as them, and it sort of did.

Of course, this didn't count as the first time such a feeling lingered. Bubbles recalled an earlier time when Buttercup, Blossom, and the professor apparently treated her like a complete weakling. Buttercup had finished Danger Level 9 in the fight simulator just in time to receive reviews on her performance. The professor took it well despite shouting to snap her out of overdoing it, Blossom felt concerned, but Bubbles gave rapid-fire compliments. Come the blond's turn, seeing how the professor turned the knob down to Level 2 (possibly an attempt at preserving her innocence) provided disappointment. The argumentative heat subsided shortly afterward but flared up at Blossom's reminder of leaving the hall light on due to Bubbles' nyctophobia then. Once the latter's insistence that she'd gotten over it fell through, she finally decided enough was enough and went back to the simulation room for a more decent challenge. That knob creaked and halted as it reached Level 11. Bubbles must've had the time of her life at tearing apart each monster; it's a miracle nobody heard the fight or her conclusive shout.

The following day saw a view of Bubbles everybody would rather forget. Blossom, the Powerpuff hotline, Talking Dog, three regular citizens, and even Mojo Jojo experienced her new hardcore mode the hard way. She'd certainly proven herself worthy: clearly making the other two admire her accomplishments of taking out the chimp alone (he was still quite a toughie back then) and handling his laser's maximum readout of 11. But maybe it wasn't enough, and some might even look down on her rather than hold that incident in high regard.

Even afterward, Bubbles still couldn't quite measure up to her sisters. It was the same thing over and over again; she only usually thought of something to save the day by accident. But if there was one incident where she would never forgive herself, it had to be the day Mojo Jojo rampaged about as usual during Townsville's one renovation. She didn't catch that falling I-beam because she'd ignored Blossom's call. Worse than the monkey's repetitive speech mannerisms, the blow to the blond's head made her think she was him and led to contributed damage. If Buttercup and Blossom thought she had it easier, they were wrong.

So how could she mature? What a question. Bubbles pulled Octi, whom she'd brought along once again, up close for a private conversation. "Oh, Octi. You believe in your friend Bubbles, don't you?" Naturally, the stuffed octopus said nothing. Even though Bubbles found comfort through her toy, she often wished he could talk for real: actual life force rather than having a demon infect it again. She was surprised yet glad Octi had just simply appeared by her side the following morning that time. "Yeah, I thought the same." RING! The school bell snapped the girl out of her thoughts. Oh, how time passed so quickly!

"C'mon, Bubbles!" Blossom called, "Time to go!"

"Uhhhhh, you girls go on ahead. I think I'll just take my time and admire my surroundings."

"Are you sure?" Buttercup asked.

"Yeah. If I get in trouble, I'll call you." The two exchanged glances, shrugged, and joined the departing stampede. Although the rain had stopped ten minutes ago despite a cloudy sky, everybody wore their jackets in case it resumed. Once the stampede cleared the schoolyard, Bubbles decided she'd just walk instead of flying or even floating. Such felt pretty strange due to rarity but really helped her focus better. What course of action would up the blond's status? It was wrong to go looking for trouble. How about aiding construction workers? Nah, too small. Besides, there weren't any construction projects afoot today. Bubbles sighed and sat down on the curb. "Go figure. I'm stuck."

"Stuck on what?" came an old voice. Bubbles looked up at a female senior citizen, the same one whose cat the PPG rescued from a tree the day before Him cast his hate spell. Sitting next to Bubbles and letting the feline rub against the child's side, the adult continued speaking. "So Bubbles, why so down in the dumps? The rain steal your cheerful disposition?"

Bubbles welcomed the cat into her lap and stroked it while answering. "No, the rain's not bad. It's just that things don't feel the same anymore since our last two battles. Buttercup's nicer, Blossom's relaxed, but I'm still the baby I've always been. Professor says my time will come soon, but I wish it were here now."

"Did he tell you when?"

"No. He said he didn't know when it might happen but that it would. He also says I got nothing to worry about and that I should be patient."

"And he's right." Bubbles stopped stroking the cat as she looked into the old woman's eyes. "Yeah, I had a similar experience back at the age of 7 years. I saw everybody around me whistle and wanted so badly to join in but couldn't because I didn't know how. Day after day saw me practicing my hardest, only to end up with failure. Then one evening, I must've discovered how to purse my lips just right, because a sharp whistling came forth after another several breaths. And from that occasion on, I never stopped whistling. (A/N: This same thing happened to me at age 7.) Although your ordeal differs greatly, what I'm saying is that time is one of many things you can't just rush even with superpowers. You're not alone."

"Yeah, but it doesn't solve my problem. When do you think it'll happen?"

"Probably when you least expect it. But let's talk about something else now. Do you see what **I** see in the sky?" All three heads glanced up at the gray sky.

"Yeah, clouds. That one looks like a pretty dress, that one looks like a dragon, that one looks like a tree…" Bubbles stopped to notice the old lady's eyes give off the impression of differing thoughts. "Um, what do you see?"

"Well…my aunt once told me that great heroes of the past look down on us from inside clouds and stars."

"Really?" The lady nodded. "You mean…dead people are watching us?" The lady nodded again as Bubbles thought about it for a moment. But she just couldn't grasp the idea. "I…I don't get it."

"It's something you see with your heart, not your eyes."

"But a heart isn't used for seeing."

"Actually, it is. Not the kind of sight everyone uses. Sort of like dreaming as you do while sleeping but with your eyes open. For example, a toy that's real to you but just a toy to others. Get what I'm saying?"

"Oh, I know! Blossom, Buttercup, and the professor think of Octi as a toy, but I see him as my bestest friend in the whole wide world. Like that?"

"There you go." They all sat on the curb a while longer before the old woman took her cat and headed home for lunch too. It felt good talking with someone. As the day concluded casually, Bubbles secretly pondered the idea of seeing with one's heart. An hour must've passed by until she drifted off into slumber like her sisters. This was definitely something to think about.

Waking up the next day, Buttercup and Blossom felt too groggy this time to take a closer look around. Only Bubbles felt that the hallway didn't look like the same one they'd been accustomed to strolling down every morning. What became of two paintings bordering their bedroom door? Whereas nobody noticed shady figures walking about, only Bubbles heard footsteps sounding nothing like the professor's feet from her bathroom session ending with all three getting dressed in the bedroom. And even upon reentering the hallway, Buttercup and Blossom still remained oblivious until their sister pointed it out. "What's in a lineup for today?" Buttercup wondered.

"As far I can tell, the usual," Blossom answered, "You're getting to be a real shoe-in with your Arabic, Buttercup."

"Seriously?"

"Yep. Can't lie."

"Um, girls?" Bubbles said.

"What, Bubbles?" Buttercup asked.

"Look around. Isn't something missing in here?" Pink and green eyes widened at the sight of bare second-floor walls. All three girls scrambled about to inspect the new chaos. Didn't paintings decorate the hallway only a minute ago? Although the perpetrator/s left no clues, they must've been in quite a hurry. Could the professor have done this even though the footsteps sounded differently? If so, just what was he up to?

"Hey, that one painting with the squiggly lines is gone!" Blossom noted.

"And the one with stars!" Buttercup added.

"They're all gone!" Bubbles said, "Somebody stole 'em!"

"Now wait a moment," Blossom realized, "You know we can't just jump to conclusions. Maybe the professor's redecorating." But the aforementioned adult's words from downstairs apparently hinted otherwise.

"Hey! That really tied the room together! Don't you characters have any sense of respect for other people's property?"

The girls were downstairs in a flash. Familiar thieves, at least according to a frantic Prof. Utonium, paced around taking stuff outside and placing it in a stolen moving van. None paid the girls any heed whatsoever. "What's going on around here, Professor?" Blossom asked, "Are we moving again?"

"No, Blossom. These hoodlums barged into the house early this morning and started taking everything. You see…"

"Say no more," Buttercup interrupted, "They just made the biggest mistake of their lives." The girls charged for the nearest crook who busied herself with a potted fern. Continually wearing an indifferent expression like her friends, she withdrew a paper entitled 'DECREE' whose very appearance made the heroes gently halt in mid-air. The crook held up a hand to pause the commotion until after the PPG acquired the information. Although it sure looked familiar enough, none could decipher it very well. "Oh! Fluent Arabic written in its natural form! And here's 'zen', or 'okay'. But I can't tell the rest."

"Take a look at the bottom," Bubbles pointed out. Sure enough, there existed the following cryptic statement in shady Old English font: 'In short, crime is now legal. Signed, The Mayor.' Disappointed astonishment made the smaller-type Arabic underneath that statement appear nothing short of insignificant. Upon the Utonium family's gasping, the one crook took away the paper and signaled her comrades to continue. Not waiting for any commentary from their parental guardian, the PPG also ignored hunger as they immediately sped towards Townsville Hall. Although it might've been anyone, disparaging chaotic sights around kept one individual under the title of prime suspect. Did the mayor let himself get suckered into accepting another chamber full of Turkish Delight candy?

Nope. The girls found him, Ms. Bellum, and countless law officials sprawled on the ground each in a dirty mess. It appeared he'd actually learned his lesson and put up a fight this time. Anger only made the girls fly even quicker past discouraging sights right into his office. "Okay, Princess, time to turn it over!" Blossom demanded.

With only the familiar black hat visible, the chair slowly turned around to reveal an upset Princess Morebucks in her usual yellow battle outfit. Not smiling even once, she hopped right out of it and proceeded until she stood right in front of the PPG. "Still haven't learned how to knock first? Didn't I tell you before I don't appreciate you barging in uninvited?"

"You don't even appreciate the air you breathe," Buttercup retorted, "We just never believed you'd skip the bribery and get on to the good part. Er, make that the bad part."

Princess' expression softened for mockery. "Well, I'm always on a tight schedule. And since you already know what happened before, I need not waste my breath explaining anything. So why don't you lollipops just skedaddle on out and go bask in defeat. I've got more important things to deal with."

"We saw right through you the first time," Bubbles stated, "What makes you think it'll work now?"

"Glad you asked." Smirking, Princess pulled out a device similar to an old movie projector but with a special microscope. As it came on, she then inserted a copy of the same sheet of paper for display on a screen. Nothing new other than the same Arabic markings came forth until she pressed a button that resulted in plain English emitting from a swirling distorted mass. Rolling a lever along skipped through the usual junk and shed light on the fine print underneath the Old English font.

"Hmm…" Blossom read, "'In addition, due to my authority, only **I** decide what is okay and who can carry it out. Anyone not adhering to this one guideline will regret it for the rest of their lives.'"

"You know Arabic?" Bubbles said. The other two could only look at her strangely.

"My daddy hired only the best experts." Princess took the decree out, turned off the machine, and placed it both back underneath the desk. Then she unveiled a longer paper stretching all the way to the doors. "An approval list. Read it and weep." Panning through it, the girls found no individuals expressing even a shred of decency. Anybody with such a characteristic had their name scribbled out; what became of them no one dared think about. Once they had their look through it, Princess snatched the list quicker than they could react. "Nope. You are not nor ever will be on the list. Same with anyone who still loves you." She casually went back into her seat. "And I can take very good care of myself. No elections, either. Now beat it."

Defeated, the girls shamefully hung their heads low as they floated out of Townsville Hall and high up into the air. Well, it seems Princess really thought things out now. Once again, criminals all around had themselves quite a field day: larceny, beating up on innocents, vandalism, etc. Prisons emptied in seconds flat yet again. The PPG sat high up on the ledge of the most lackluster structure they could find while sadly watching the horror. And it truly served the triplets well. No crook passing by gave it a second look as he or she did them. From the commotion, school was no doubt canceled for today. On top of that, this whole mess also ruined the girls' appetites.

The PPG were heroes, and being heroes meant using their talents for the good of every living thing. But their intentions stemmed from a sense of honor inspired by law enforcement. The law was the law; they couldn't sidestep it. They'd done so before if nothing at least similar, and look where it got them. Princess took advantage of this via twisting it into something truly nasty. As the morning drifted off into early afternoon, supposed officers returned the girls forlorn expressions while passing by. Though, ordinary citizens felt the most despondent on account of receiving the day's full brunt. Buttercup and Blossom's changed images couldn't help, so what chance did Bubbles have? "I just don't believe it," Blossom commented, "Princess finally got us where she wanted us."

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Bubbles wondered.

"No, Bubbles," Buttercup put in, "You heard what Princess said back at the office."

"But we're the Powerpuff Girls. Can't we help someone, even if it's just one person?"

"You just don't understand, do you, Bubbles?" Blossom said, "There's nothing we can do. Princess did a better job of recycling her scheme than we could've expected. She played her trump card and won fair and square."

"But…but…"

"We may as well write our wills," Buttercup added. Then stomach rumbling filled the air, and all three looked down at themselves. How could breakfast just pass them by? "So, what're we gonna eat?" Bubbles shrugged and volunteered to find food. Anything was a lot better than sitting around helpless.

"I'll go find something." She floated away off the ledge, leaving her sulking sisters. The blue 'puff decided she'd first go home to search for any money possibly lying around if the refrigerator and cupboards had been raided much like the professor's pockets by now. Regular citizens, having expressed much hopelessness, no longer cared anymore. Bubbles would've rather shut her eyes if not for the danger of running into trees or buildings. Seeing a toy crook run along didn't spark as much controversy as the toy he dropped: purple cloth skin; yellow eyes; black top hat… "Octi?" She flew down for a closer inspection; lo and behold, it was indeed her copy of the adorable cephalopod. Bubbles hugged him. "Oh, Octi. Did that big bully steal you? Well, don't you worry. I'll never let anything bad happen to you again, and that's a promise."

"Aw, how pwecious," came a mocking voice. Bubbles broke away from the hug to find herself playing tug-of-war with the same toy thief. He'd realized his goof and returned to literally stretch Octi. Given the crook's lack of superhuman strength and Bubbles' combined depression and hunger, both put up a struggle. "Hand…the doll…over, you…little whelp."

"No! Octi's my…friend!"

"Go find…a new friend. This baby's…going places!"

"Please…don't…do it!" At those last words, the tugging ended with Octi suffering mutilation. The two clutched his tentacles while stuffing and head fell to the pavement. Bubbles choked up at such a shocking display whereas the crook apathetically tossed aside his held pieces.

"Oh well. I guess one toy doesn't matter. Toys are toys." He left the forlorn blond without a second look. Staring down at Octi's remains for a minute, Bubbles was so disappointed and frustrated that she couldn't speak. The octopus was the most reliable, comforting friend she'd ever been blessed with through all conditions – no extras currently available, either – and now criminal activity took him away from her. How would she avenge his destruction in current circumstances? Bubbles then suddenly remembered the old lady's words yesterday: "_It's something you see with your heart, not your eyes…see with your heart, not your eyes…your heart, not your eyes…"_

All emotions became converted into anger and determination as she held Octi's head. "Don't worry, Octi. I couldn't keep my promise, but I'll make it up to you." Tossing his head aside, Bubbles immediately sped over the scene and stood in the crook's path. She barely struggled in not throwing another major tantrum. Caring less about her glare, the crook smirked while holding up his copy of the decree.

"Still moping over that dumb doll? You can't do anything as long as I got this beauty. What's wrong, can't read Arabic?" Bubbles responded with a simple laser which reduced the paper to ashes. A nervous, disbelieving crook backed away from a looming Powerpuff. "That…that can't be right! You just broke the law! You're even worse than…me…when crime was…illegal! You can't do this, you're a goody-goody!" She grabbed his shirt's neck and tossed him into delinquents defacing an apartment with graffiti. In turn, her action caused all criminals to crowd in the town square shouting protests while holding up more papers, each of which she zapped. Everyone else watched as a blue streak wailed on the poor saps, returned stolen articles, and repaired property damage. Bubbles must've learned how to control her hardcore mode.

"Let's this be a lesson to each and every one of you!"

"Bubbles, stop!" two voices called. Green and pink streaks hurried into the subdivision, stopping the blue. Bubbles struggled against Blossom and Buttercup holding her in place by the shoulders.

"Let me go now."

"You've lost it again," Buttercup said, "We thought you got over it."

Bubbles calmed down instantly for her sisters to loosen their grip. She then took advantage of it by slipping away and facing them all the while still determined. The blond knew her time for maturation had come at last. Right then and there, she'd show everyone just how authentically she improved. Townsville's law enforcement system would also experience the same. "Over what? Throwing stupid tantrums, yes. Wasting time crying in my placemat, yes. Being a superhero, no. Going around doing the right thing and protecting the weak and innocent from those who'd do 'em harm like right now, absolutely outta the question."

"Listen, Bubbles," Blossom reasoned, "We know you want to grow up so fast like me and Buttercup, but breaking the law isn't the answer."

"What kind of heroes are we?" Bubbles zoomed in front of law enforcers yet standing around in their undergarments. "What kind of police officers are you?" Then she floated high above the rooftops for all to see and listen, placing a mitt on her chest. And nobody could truly ignore her speech. "We should all be ashamed of ourselves, letting others push us around instead of following our own hearts. You may call me a rebel. You may throw me in jail for all I care. But I am not gonna let so many meanies continue destroying the very dream everyone worked so hard to make real. You hear me, Townsville? I'm through! I only listen to my heart!"

The word 'heart' rang throughout a 10-mile radius. Like the child responsible when losing her stuffed octopus, neither sisters nor officers nor civilians nor criminals moved or replied for probably two minutes. But as expected, the words reached through to all. Everyone else absorbed them with gallantry while lawbreakers smiled nervously, unable to escape. "Hey, she's right!" one voice called.

"Yeah!" another agreed, "Our town!" Battle cries filled the air. No matter where a criminal turned, someone always blocked his or her means for escape. Buttercup and Blossom displayed hesitation before joining their sisters just as quickly. Townsville transformed into a colossal battlefield that day: the PPG taking out the first line of enemy defense, officers acting upon the second, and civilians cleaning up remaining bits. Bubbles soon re-encountered the same toy thief and held him above a tree while wondering what exactly she should do with him.

"Lemme go! Lemme go! I can make it up ta you; I'll getcha a new octopus! Maybe even a real one! Just don't drop me!"

Bubbles was plenty angry about losing Octi, but she couldn't just squash him like a roach. She ignored his pleas. "Thanks, but I'll pass." For a more (from her viewpoint, anyway) mature punishment, having figured he looked beat up enough, she left the poor guy on a tree branch hanging by his clothing.

"What is this?" Princess wondered. Disturbing noises outside caused her to leave the chair and stare out the window. "Are those Poo-Poo-Puffs crazy?" Not waiting for angry government officials to crash in, she did her own crashing through glass and zipped off towards the Morebucks manor. But Bubbles happened to be floating by and suddenly tore off both wing blades, thereby sending the spoiled kid falling to her supposed doom. The blue 'puff then immediately saved her and hung her on the same tree in the same manner.

That's when the fighting ceased. Prisons filled back up once more. As his first act of returning to proper status, the mayor not only repealed Princess' dumb law but also made Ms. Bellum promise to slap him upside in the head should he forget his new law of making elections extra-mandatory. Her father unable to save her, the little brat got sentenced every necessary hour fixing any and all traces of vandalism. Bubbles threw in a piece of her earlier speech she saved for until after the commotion. "You never cease to amaze us," Police Chief Hiddledee spoke, "But the fact remains you broke the law. I can't just let it slide."

Buttercup, Blossom, and citizens around would've protested had Bubbles not held up a mitt to silence them. "It's okay, I can handle this. Mr. Police Man, you and the other boys and girls in blue have every right to feel the way you do. I did break the law when I attacked all those criminals; that goes against everything we Powerpuffs stand for. I know it's not in the rules, but sometimes rules alone can't help deliver justice. Just look how Princess took advantage of us all. When fighting for what you believe in, there will be times when you must bend and even break those rules. My heart saw a light known only as justice, begging me to go grab it." Confusion dominated the general crowd. Blossom and Buttercup appeared thoughtful. The same old lady from yesterday looked on in admiration from quite a distance away. "Yeah, I didn't understand it at first, but I do now."

"Some speech," Hiddledee commented, "But the law is written. There's nothing else I can do about it."

Bubbles walked up to his ankles and stared into his eyes with determination. "If you still feel you must punish me, then I won't resist. I'll face it strong." Two minutes passed as everyone continued staring wherever they positioned their eyes. Hiddledee and his law-enforcing associates could've acted any moment they all wished, but their legs were paralyzed. Guilt now took over.

"Aw, nuts," an officer said, shoulders slumping, "Her actions were too noble. **I** can't arrest her."

"Me neither," another agreed.

Every other ranking official trudged away leaving Hiddledee all alone. He bent down to Bubbles' eye level and shook hands, sighing and shrugging. "Okay, let's just call it even. I guess we police needed it as a lesson."

"Wonderful!" the professor declared at dinner that evening. Bubbles only looked down at her empty plate coyly while the topic of today heated the mealtime. Buttercup and Blossom just couldn't stop talking about it. Words and expressions fired out of their mouths like bullets from a machine gun. It also felt good dining in restored surroundings once more; the girls hadn't eaten a thing all day. Best of all, as Hiddledee's earlier words suggested, the police took the blond 'puff's example and swore changes to their lawful duties.

"Yeah, she really kicked into high gear," Buttercup said, "No dirty crook saw her coming. I must've said that a hundred times already."

"And so ends the third chapter of the rest of our lives," Bubbles announced.

"True," Blossom said, she and Buttercup floating out of their chairs and looming over their sister for a tease, "But you'll always be a cute little baby to us."

"Why, you," Bubbles teased back, also floating out, "C'mere." She pounced forward into her sisters and onto the floor. In seconds, however, playfulness filled the room: The redhead had the blond pinned down while the brunette administered noogies. Laughter rang forth. "No fair! You didn't give me a chance!"

The professor just shook his head and also giggled. "Them's my girls!"

The End


	3. Guess Who's Back

Note: Like I said back in one of my previous stories, I'm disregarding some attacks since I believe they existed only for conventional purposes. The same holds true for the Rowdyruff Boys.

The Utonium family alongside the rest of Townsville now saw even better times in the days ahead. Buttercup no longer felt so worthless what with a nicer attitude and her own unique ability. Blossom had grown healthier since learning how to loosen up. And Bubbles hardly seemed like the so-called baby everyone once labeled her as anymore, although she still carried around a newly purchased Octi to replace her ripped old one. Each girl began conjuring up her own battle strategies while respecting each other's opinions at the same time. Monsters, villains, and plain criminals alike kept coming strong, just not as strong as they used to. It seems no evildoer besides Princess or the Gangrene Gang could tear away from having their piece of the improved PPG. But it wasn't long until the RRB got wind of the news or their wish of going with the flow granted. They hadn't changed a bit as far as the girls were concerned. So they should've been easy pickings, right? Well, almost. The RRB must've done much physical training during a period of inactivity, thereby remaining worthy opponents despite a few easy knockdowns.

But something was wrong this time. When the fight reached its halftime, the RRB lost a pinch of their true potential. They couldn't help moving slower than an egg-carrying Nothosaurus searching out food in the Tethys Sea. Some heavy, hidden inner force held the boys back. Every time one of them attempted a blast or hit, their bodies just froze up. The girls assumed it a scheme but eventually took their enemies seriously come 2:15. Curious PPG ogled struggling RRB. "C-can't be…happening," Brick sputtered.

"What's with you?" Blossom wondered.

"Hold…s-still," Boomer added, fumbling still in mid-air due to uncoordinated vision.

Bubbles lowered her defense-positioned arms, watching her counterpart apparently miss on purpose. "I don't have time for games, okay? Stop fooling around and fight me."

Butch fared no better himself holding mitt to mitt against a bored Buttercup. She overpowered easily while he couldn't bring himself to it. "No stupid girl's…gonna faze…m-me."

"You're no fun anymore, you know that?"

Finally, both factions regrouped and glared face to face. Girls and boys for once agreed on one thing: The day's ridiculousness was getting them nowhere. So much for a decent battle. "Alright, guys, enough fooling around," Blossom demanded, "Whatever you're up to, it's not gonna work. Why don't you show us a real fight?"

"Ooh, aren't we pushy," Brick retorted, "I guess we can all use a good nap. We'll be back tomorrow once we get rid of these cramps!" And the RRB left the PPG holding the bag. The girls could only shrug and leave the scene as well.

The clock read a half hour well past their bedtime as they each stood looking out a window, today's incidents lingering on their minds. It could've been a setup or distraction for some larger plot. Other than Boomer stealing candy for his brothers right before Bubbles masqueraded as him, nobody could remember the RRB making any recent rampages until today. Maybe they caught a new disease. Perhaps they were becoming unstable again. After all, Mojo had flubbed up their recipe just as the PPG did their late extra Bunny. And the resurrection and 'anti-cootie' vaccination courtesy of Him only went so far. Whatever the reason, any thoughts about the boys faking it today dispersed sometime after washing up for dinner. The PPG had every right to worry this much about their toughest foes. "What're they hiding?" Buttercup said, "Ugh! I'm actually concerned about 'em."

"Something's definitely up," Blossom added, "If it's a disease, it must be pretty big. Unless they've undergone similar trials like us, it's not like the Rowdyruff Boys to act that way."

"If only we could've kept a closer eye on them," Bubbles put in, "Did you see the pain in their eyes? It's as if they swallowed some really big bugs who are trying to pop out of their bellies but just can't get out. And remember when they tried hitting us but couldn't? It's almost like a ghost was protecting us. Do we get ghosts around here?"

"Not those kind," Blossom continued, "Maybe it's a new disease. Just hope it's not contagious."

"I'm not sick. I feel the same."

"New, alright," Buttercup said, "From what you and the professor have shown us, I don't recognize cramps like that anywhere. I don't know, maybe I didn't pay attention."

"Could be a spiritual ailing," Blossom said, "I'm not much for demonology or anything related, but these hairier boys do have 'Him' written all over."

"You don't suppose…?" Bubbles suggested, only to trail off. So Buttercup immediately got her back on track, machine gun style.

"Suppose what, Bubbles?"

"I know! Maybe there exist two sets of Rowdyruff Boys, one nice and the other mean! Let's say Mojo found various ingredients around the jail – hair, snails, and a doggy tail – and then found Chemical X in the toilet of his prison cell and flushed them down when the moment seemed right. Yuck, I hate toilet water. Anyways, when the boys come alive, Mojo's evil influence also created these inner demons that take control from inside and take a liking to the monkey before the real boys have a chance to think for themselves and quickly get to work beating up on us. Everything we do has no effect until Ms. Bellum suggests we be nice and we kiss them on the cheek and a rush of love sets off a demon bomb sending both the boys and their inner demons to who knows where. Then Him sees the boys on his TV and casts a spell to not only bring back the demons but also make it so our kisses give them strength." Bubbles took in some deep breaths. "Anyways, I'm just guessing."

Once again, the other two looked stupefied. How did she know so much without witnessing the events? "Bubbles, that's an interesting idea and all, but where do you come up with this stuff?" Blossom interrogated.

"I just have a vivid imagination. Who knows, I may be wrong."

"The Rowdyruff Boys, good?" Buttercup said, "I just can't see it happening. Not in a million years."

"Well, even if it's just me, I still might be on to something. Mojo created them, after all, and he's anything but nice. Then again, creating them in toilet water instead of real Chemical X also makes sense since we flubbed up our own recipe to make Bunny. Or both."

"Must've been some pretty weak demons back then," Blossom said, all three yawning and stretching, "Him certainly fixed that. Oh well, we can hunt 'em down tomorrow." Sleep settled in once the lights went off.

Whereas every diurnal individual back in Townsville slept comfortably, the same didn't hold true for a certain trio about a mile outside. The RRB remained sleepless while also discussing today's incidents. Now, this was not the first time these cramps hindered them from much of anything. It began somewhere spanning the time between Boomer's kidnapping and Buttercup's 'trip' to the world ruled by Shadow Thing with training against virtual Powerpuffs. For some reason they knew not, the boys started experiencing sudden cramps in their heads and chests. Boomer was the first afflicted; Butch and Brick naturally assumed he was joking around until they felt the same.

The boys took the cramps in stride and just shook them off no matter how much they persisted. Why bother tell Him? Real boys learned independence at an early age, so the philosophy went. The strangely-clad demon found out anyway but didn't punish his stolen creations for it. He instead inspected those cramps a bit closer and soon warned the boys about a recent discovery even he never fathomed. Apparently, the positive energy instilled via their first kisses was now fighting for control. To remedy this, Him demonstrated a special meditative exercise to expel the hindrance into oblivion. Although at least Brick caught on, all three boys forgot to put this into action as they contended only with chiseling their muscles. "It happened again!" Boomer whined, "I don't want our wimpy selves to take over and ruin our fun!"

"For once, I agree," Butch stated, "I'll never forgive those girls for blowing us up like that."

"Guys," Brick called.

"Yeah," Boomer continued, "If not for those dumb kisses, we wouldn't be in this fix."

"Guys," Brick called again, a tad louder.

"Well, at least Dad made it so kisses make us stronger," Butch said.

"GUYS!" Brick shouted, only loud enough to disturb some beetles.

"What?" the other two chorused.

"If not for yer interruptions, we could've done this a long time ago."

"Yeah, Boomer!" Butch said.

"Hey!" was the response.

"Shut up!" Brick ordered, "Anyways, like I was saying, we've forgotten this for the last time. Let's get it over with." The RRB sat down cross-legged, closed their eyes, and focused hard. Red, blue, and green glows flooded the scene. Small tremors rocking the area caused virtually no damage. Nighttime arthropods and whatnot darted from their hiding places. Ducks quacked and geese honked at a nearby farm. Nobody really woke up, rather have uneasy dreams. Snoring humans only snored louder. Having at last reached pinnacle, the RRB separated themselves from the hindering purity within. They then opened their eyes, stood up, and watched the gossamer essence soar into the stars.

"Hoo!" Butch commented, "They were bigger than I thought."

"Where they going?" Boomer wondered.

"Where else, stupid?" Brick replied, "Oblivion, of course."

"And where's that?"

"Who cares? All that matters is that we're rid of those jerks. Now let's go home and get some sleep."

Backs turned towards the city, the RRB made their way to a distant location in the hills without looking behind once. Had they taken even a peek, they'd come face to face with possible bad news. Did the positive energy drift off into oblivion as expected? Not even close. Those three white energy shafts instead rained down upon Townsville after a slow trip towards the stratosphere, landing together yet separated. One stopped in front of an apartment building and glowed dark-blue. Another landed in front of the next apartment building down and glowed dark-green. The final one landed inside the alleyway formed by the buildings and glowed red. From the blue glow came a large round head; small body; dark-blue eyes; dark-blue sweatshirt with a black stripe across; black pants and shoes; and kempt blond hair parted in the middle: the original Boomer. Upon reformation, he looked around in confusion and groaned. "Uhhh…what happened? Are we dead again?"

"Nope," came a voice behind. The blue 'ruff turned back and faced a pair of dark-green eyes; dark-green sweatshirt; black hair, also parted in the middle; a cowlick in back; and just the same overall features: the original Butch. "Took us long enough."

"Oh yeah, our argument! Where do you get off blaming just me for interrupting?"

The annoyed brunette took hold of his brother's shoulders and shook him. "Be quiet and snap out of it. Those were the bad ones, not us." He removed his mitts while letting the blond recover.

"Oh, right. Sorry, something must've gotten into me."

"No problem. Say, how come there's only two of us?"

"I'm right here," came another voice from the alleyway. Both turned and saw red eyes, a red sweatshirt, red cap, and short red-orange hair parted three ways accompany the rest of the figure out into the open: the original Brick. "Glad you guys made it. I had my doubts at first."

"I hear ya, bro," Butch agreed, "So where does that leave us now?"

Brick's downcast expression spread through the ranks. "No way anybody's gonna accept us after all we've done. Let's just go take a look around at all the sights. Maybe we can even find some dinner." All three heads hung low as they walked back into the alleyway, returning out with brown bed sheets draped over for disguises as monks. No one saw the incidents transpiring around this particular spot; everyone inside the apartments including the owners continued sleeping like rocks. With the night dragging on, the boys did quite a good job keeping to themselves and not using a single power like floating upon entering areas yet busy. Various figures shrouded in the darkness stared at them every once in a while. Some looked at them strangely as if trying to identify whereas others cared a whole lot less. Brick maintained his role as leader via keeping the procession moving. Boomer stopped every half minute to glance back at anyone watching, only to have Butch pull him away.

The RRB didn't even need to fly just to know their way around town. Mojo Jojo had somehow imparted his knowledge of the highlights despite stubborn-minded resistance right before that rampage following the Cyclops octopus. Though, they couldn't cram it in well enough until post-resurrection days. The good trio stopped in front of an electronics store with television sets on display to rest. "I gotta rest," Butch said, "Say, Brick, how much longer we gotta keep this up?"

"As long as it takes," was the answer, "We've done enough damage. I don't even wanna think about…"

"We're the Rowdyruff Boys, and we wanna fight!" came Brick's voice, though not from his own mouth.

"Not right this second," Butch unwittingly said.

"That wasn't me."

"Guys," Boomer said, pointing at the sets, "We're on TV." All three stared at six screens, each airing a different show. Three broadcasted one separate news report each. Two expressed talk shows. The final one displayed what looked as some documentary or other, which best captured the boys' attention.

A narrator switched between a tranquil welcoming voice and one ready to administer a death penalty. "The very first spoken words by the leader of those menacing masters of mayhem, those deliverers of destruction, those thick-headed freaks of fiendishness, and the only good-for-nothing scumbags ever to come close in eliminating the Powerpuff Girls: I present to you…the Rowdyruff Boys." That last line ended in a threatening hiss. "Yes, the very mention of their existence sends shivers down all spines. Just watch and see what I mean."

For the next half hour, the screen panned through screenshots of past news reports, all meant to emphasize the boys' sullied reputations. Not a single stone was left unturned: pummeling the girls into a building on the first encounter; pile-driving the girls into the pavement via Ballistic Barrage; slamming them into the steps of Townsville Hall; hurling a school bus, ocean liner, and damaged airplane; the 'afterburners'; and the concluding implosion that could've killed the PPG. Of course, that was just for starters. Next came the boys' encore appearance: evil Rowdyruffs standing upon pavement outcroppings; evenly matched assaults; the bad ones growing bigger due to kisses; Rowdyruff starburst; grossing the girls out in unmentionable ways; using cars like skates; crushing the girls into a hockey puck; various shots of the 'Roller Brawl', 'Ultimate Fight', wanted posters, and simply being complete jerks. Whew, too much information! Basically, whoever made this collage meant to emphasize a point about the RRB and maybe even harden people's hearts past just a shred of forgiveness.

And from where the good ones stood, the collage maker was plenty justified. Seeing everything made them wretch to the point of losing their own lunches like Bubbles. Boomer had long since turned his eyes away and sobbed lightly. Brick was pretty much on the verge of tears himself though not quite there yet. Butch bore squinted eyes and a weak stomach. They'd seen everything through the evil boys' viewpoints the whole time but didn't comprehend exactly how far it extended. "That's not us," Butch stammered, "Somebody please tell me that's not us."

"It is," Brick said, "The cameras ain't lyin'."

"But they didn't hafta rub it in!" Boomer wailed, facing them now fully crying, "They…they…" Unable to continue, he buried his head into Brick's chest and soaked the robe in tears. The redhead wrapped comforting arms around his brother and patted him.

"Boomer's right," Butch added, tears now rolling down his and Brick's cheeks, "Where do they get off blaming us like we're the source of everything bad in the world? It's not all our fault! We were created by a vicious psychopath, for crying out loud!"

"It is our fault, Butch," the redhead stated. Boomer immediately pulled away to listen.

"What're you talking about? Nobody gave us a chance to think for ourselves! Mojo's stupid tricks clouded us, and Him only made things worse! Why isn't anybody making that point?"

"Calm down or you'll wake everyone. While you're technically correct, we still brought this upon ourselves. We could've found the strength to fight back, but we chose to let the evil ones dominate. We purposely let ourselves be duped by Mojo Jojo into kicking butts quote-unquote 'settled on the throne of justice', 'planted in the soil of nobility', and 'nestled between the pillars of peace and love'. Need I go on?"

"No, but **I** do. Mojo never taught us a thing about feelings!"

Boomer held up and waved around a mitt. "Me! Me! Call on me!"

"Yes, Boomer? You have something to say in class?"

"What about that hug he gave us and…uh…well, it happened back at his house. Not the prank, but…while plotting world domination…oh, I remember! Clanging our cups of juice together."

"It's called a toast," Brick defined, "Don't confuse it for the hot bread eaten during breakfast."

"I bet he didn't even mean those things," Butch argued, "He was just sucking up to us so we wouldn't hurt 'im and he could use us as his tools."

"Fake or real, that hug is typically the first true display of emotions Mojo taught us until **I** punched him and we threatened him. We practically gave our inner demons the satisfaction." Tears were dried as their heads hung low once more.

"Does that mean no dinner?" Boomer asked.

"Even if no one gives us a crumb, we're not gonna go hungry. We can go fishing."

"But the harbor's on the other side of town," Butch reminded, "It'll take too long to walk."

"Okay, I'm lifting the restraint. We'll fly across town and nothing more, and we'll fly as quietly as possible. Follow me and keep the disguises." Another nearby alleyway swallowed up forlorn walking figures one moment, spitting out flying ones above the next. As irony would have it, the good RRB made a successful escape. The few people catching sight of it only dismissed them as eagles still searching out a place to settle down for the night. Well, they got the second half right.

Upon reaching the harbor, the boys hid the disguises underneath a large dock built over the sand and zipped over the water. No one was out late, so they had themselves a safe zone. Each boy caught one fish for themselves, roasted it with their eye lasers, and sat far enough underneath the dock to remain hidden but also to enjoy watching the stars. "Ever wonder what those stars are made of?" Butch began.

"Actually, I know what they're made of," Brick answered, "Hotter gases like those produced by burning coal."

"Do you think if I saw a shooting star it could grant any wish I want?" Boomer asked.

"Depends," Butch said, "Lots of weird things have happened. Whadja have in mind?"

"Well…" Boomer looked down coyly, put a mitt up to his left cheek, smiled, and blushed at a certain memory. Having a good idea of what, Butch and Brick followed suit with differences in facial expressions. Butch glared as his eyes flinched out of rhythm. Brick bore a rather neutral look. "Hey fellas, is this what love feels like? It's almost as if hot chocolate's flowing through my veins and my brain wants to short-circuit and my heart wants to splash into my stomach and…ummm…anyways, I never felt this strange before."

"Yeah, me too," Brick agreed, "And to think those kisses were meant to destroy us."

"You guys ain't getting pansy on me, are ya?" Butch said.

"Oh, lighten up, Butch. There's nothing wrong with showing your emotions. You're blushing, too."

The brunette tried shrugging it off to no avail. "I'm…not even…ready for that sort of stuff."

"Whatever you say," Boomer said, letting it go, "Anyway, do you suppose…?"

His brother was just too obvious. Butch's next calm words brought up the gloomy seriousness from earlier. "Nah. I just said we're not ready for it, and neither are they. Besides, they'd never go with us after everything that's happened."

Boomer sighed. "Too bad we got off to a wrong start. I really wanted at least a friend if not a you-know-what."

"Let's eat up and get to sleep," Brick said, "Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day." The boys finished up their fish, went further underneath the dock, pushed up sand to make a comfortable sleeping spot, used their disguises as pillows, and fell fast asleep. It had been a tiring evening. The section was dark enough to shroud them during day and night. A strict anti-swimming policy on this section of beach kept wanderers away, and no workers bothered coming near until at least 9 o'clock in the morning. The dock's underside was a perfect place for spending the night, all in all. Only Brick knew what tomorrow would bring.

Come noontime the next day, no one paid three monk-like figures walking towards the largest candy store in Townsville as much heed as they would the ensuing incident. Still not ready to attract unwanted attention, the good RRB figured the evil ones might head towards this impressive specimen of commerce. Once and for all, it was time the former eliminated the latter and left the city for good. "You sure they gonna show up?" Butch asked.

"Positive," Brick answered, "I saw it in my copy's memory bank next to the circle of Willis."

"Who's Willis?" Boomer asked. But before anyone answered, trouble erupted at the next upcoming alleyway. The good ones halted as some unexpected troublemakers showed up: none other than the Gangrene Gang. Darn it! The trio barely kept from throwing a destructive tantrum. Oh, but they were doing so well until these dimwits showed up! Why now?

"Goin' ssssssssomewhere?" Snake taunted, followed by another of Grubber's raspberries. Rather than respond verbally, the good ones waved their arms as if to shoo them off while remaining concealed. But the gang neither understood nor left. "I don't get it. How come they ain't talkin'?"

"It's called sign language, ya dope," Ace said, elbowing Snake's nose, "But I ain't much fer translatin'."

"Oh, I know!" Arturo guessed, "Maybe they want a taco!"

"No!" Big Billy said, laughing, "They headed to a costume party! Billy tell by costumes! Uh, Ace? Is it Halloween?"

"Not for a long time, Billy," was the reply, "But enough chitchat." Ace walked up to the shrouded three without concern for their identities and held a switchblade up close to Brick's neck, the gang close behind. "Alright, no more playin'. I don't care who you jerks are, let's see some cash." The good RRB whispered only low enough for each other to hear, or so they thought.

"I say we show them who the real jerks are," Butch stated.

"I'm obligated to agree," Brick threw back.

"Hey, I hear voices!" Arturo announced.

"Probably just the wind rushin' past yer ears," Ace retorted, not hearing anything.

"No, Accccccccce, I hear it too," Snake agreed.

"We better do something!" Boomer chimed, "We're gonna get it either way!" But what happened next saved them effort for later.

"What's this?" came Evil Brick's voice. All eight faces below looked towards the evil RRB floating only four feet above. Whereas the good RRB felt glad they needn't go further, the Gangrene Gang was naturally a different story. "A rumble, and no one invited us?"

"Errrrr…heh heh," Ace and Snake laughed nervously.

"Pbbbbbbbt!" Grubber added, also nervous.

"Aye caramba," Arturo stated, "I think I hear my mother calling."

"But you no have mother," Big Billy unwittingly replied.

"Check it, Boomer!" Evil Butch sneered, "Someone dumber than you!"

"Cool! …Hey!"

"Run for it!" Ace shouted. The evil RRB followed the Gangrene Gang back into the same alley apparently not caring whether the good ones jumped off a cliff. All sorts of physical blows and pained screams emitted forth. Should the good ones follow or stay put? As fate had it, they needn't move a muscle as the evil ones came out gloating.

"Did you see the way I twisted his arm behind his back?" Evil Boomer bragged.

"No, **I** did!" Evil Butch retorted.

"Shut up, the both of you!" Evil Brick ordered, "We got 'em, didn't we?" Attention then turned towards their counterparts in glee. The evil ones seemed to have a pretty good idea whose features lay within those brown cloaks despite thorough suppression. "Now time for more serious business." Butch made another gesture to have them follow, which they gladly complied with. Two streaks each of red, dark-blue, and dark-green filled the air; the good ones intended on leading the bad out of town to keep people from getting hurt. It could've been x-ray vision (seeing through those robes) or super hearing (whisper convention coming loud and clear). Whatever happened, the evil RRB didn't feel as surprised as everybody below upon removing the good ones' disguises after catching them only a third of the jaunt near Farmsville. Afterward, the former spun the latter 360 degrees followed by a kick to the ground, much like the PPG did way back when. They then watched them stand back up on wobbly legs.

"So, had enough yet?" Evil Boomer taunted.

"What're you talking about?" Evil Butch said, "That was just an appetizer."

"Guess that saves us time from hunting down you long-haired freaks the hard way," Butch shot back.

"Excuse me?" Evil Brick said, "Who you callin' freaks?"

"Let's skip the trivialities, okay?" Brick demanded, "I'll make it simple: We're here to destroy you creeps once and for all."

The evil ones stared at them, looked to one another, and burst into laughter. Who did these short-haired characters think they were dealing with, right? "Oh, please," Evil Brick continued, "Don't you weaklings remember anything? We're typically the very essence of the name 'Rowdyruff', so you're nothing without us. You hear me? You're sissies!"

"Oh, yeah?" Boomer said, "How'dja like to prove it, you cowards?" That last insult did the trick. Not taking it kindly, the evil ones launched themselves at their opponents and began a long-awaited battle with everything both trios could muster. Main St. was instantly torn up by punches, kicks, blasts, the works in general. Had the PPG replaced the good RRB, they'd consider it déjà vu. Brick caught Evil Brick's hair, spun him about, and slammed him into the road rather than a building, receiving a high kick the very next minute.

Evil Boomer sent Boomer flying through a mini-mart's window. Those inside recoiled and dared not come near. "Sorry about the window!" The people could only look around in puzzlement after he returned to the fight. Did they just hear a Rowdyruff Boy sincerely apologize?

In the meantime, Evil Butch knocked Butch into a couch in an apartment building, though not the same one as Buttercup. The family living there felt just as confused. "Mind if I borrow this?" Grabbing the furniture piece without waiting for an answer, Butch used it as a baseball bat to knock his twin into the ground at the last second and slam it down on him repeatedly. From the look, it seemed he really enjoyed pouring on the torture. "This…fight…is…over!" But Evil Butch retaliated by bumping the couch out of Butch's mitts and sending it flying over his head to flatten a group of senior citizens. "Nyah-ah!" The cowlick 'ruff caught and returned it to the same apartment before resuming the fight. "Here's yer couch back."

And only inches away from the action, who else should show up but the PPG. That's when the fight took to mid-air. Watching two sets of RRB duke it out instilled as much confusion as inundation. What in blazes was going on? "I can't believe it!" Bubbles declared, "I'm seeing double! Do I have a real problem with my eyesight?"

"No, Bubbles, this isn't an illusion," Blossom answered, "Maybe the Rowdyruff Boys split into two each for some special training."

"It looks like they're really enjoying it, as if they're trying to kill them," Buttercup noted, "And the clones got better-looking hair the way we first fought 'em."

"Whatever's going on, it's threatening Townsville," Blossom said, "This stops now."

"You're going down, stupid!" Evil Brick screamed.

"No, you are!" Brick retorted.

"You and those tapeworms for brothers ain't getting in the way anymore!" Evil Boomer said.

"At least **I** don't let my brothers treat me like a complete dum-dum!" Boomer shot back.

"When I get finished with you, I'm tearin' that stupid cowlick out by the roots!" Evil Butch declared.

"Oh, yeah?" Butch put in, "I'm gonna comb your head so hard, you'll be bald before the day's over!" Finally, the evil ones grew bored and so disappeared far into the sky. The good ones regrouped to contemplate the situation, although something seemed awry. Greater fatigue than expected overtook all three. Brick preferred denying the heavy feelings

"Whew," Boomer gasped, "Never thought they'd leave."

"Oh, they'll be back," Butch said, "What's the point anymore? This fight won't change how everybody below feels toward us. You remember what we watched on TV last night."

"Don't remind me."

"Guys, we're not giving up," Brick said."

"Why shouldn't we?" Butch asked, "Our evil twins are already gaining on us. And even if we win, we're still gonna hafta hide from everyone. Just let 'em put us out of our misery already and get it over with."

"I find that pretty funny coming outta your mouth. If I must die, I won't go down without a fight."

"Did we miss anything?" came Buttercup's voice. Upon facing the girls, the boys slightly recoiled expecting a new fight. Although they provided an explanation, Bubbles almost believed her theory from last night held out but said nothing.

"Okay, boys, we're here," Blossom stated, "But why not toss envelopes to get our attention? They're easier than debris."

"Yeah, but far less dramatic," Boomer unwittingly replied.

Brick nudged him in the side. "Boomer…Forget what my brother just said…ummmm…"

"And what happened to your hair?" Bubbles asked.

Butch rolled his eyes at his brothers' stuttering. "Listen, we got a personal fight on our hands, okay? Those hairy things are our concern. We want you to stay out of it."

The girls gave questioning looks. Considering their history with the RRB, this request sounded too good to be true even if they never before spoke sincerely. "Oh, really?" Buttercup said, "How do we know you're not just saying it so you can get us later on when we ain't looking?"

"Believe what you want, but my brother's not lying," Brick replied, "This is our fight, so just stay out of the way. We'll play with you later."

"What kind of training session is this?" Bubbles asked.

"It isn't," Boomer chimed. Suddenly, a giant pair of red-sleeved mitts grabbed the good ones and molded them together into a marble while mitts in dark-blue sleeves restrained the girls. The evil RRB had returned, having somehow grown to colossal proportions without harnessing energy from friendly gestures.

"Aaaahhhhrrrmmpphhhh!" the good ones screamed.

"Let…us…go!" Blossom demanded, she and her sisters struggling, "Or we won't be responsible for your medical bills!"

"And make it six against three?" Evil Boomer retorted, "Forget it."

"Wow, Boomer," Evil Butch commented, "You found a brain."

"We're not even with them!" the girls stammered.

"Liars!" the two evil boys shot back.

"Knuckle down!" Evil Brick flicked the good ones into a zigzag down the street. They bounced off cars, trucks, utility poles, street lamps, and curbs as if inside a pinball machine. While the girls continued vain escape attempts, Evil Boomer squeezed them to the point of nearly passing out from lack of air. Afterward, he allowed them time to float and catch their breath before a smashing clap sent them sprawling.

"Head butt!" Evil Butch followed up via imbedding the girls deeper with a smack from his forehead, thereby utterly knocking them unconscious.

After hitting countless things for twenty seconds, the good ones split apart upon landing inside a dumpster. Disoriented and disheartened, they tossed aside stinky black bags and ruined cardboard boxes to recollect themselves. Everything had grown eerily quiet. "W-wow," Brick stuttered, him and his brothers rubbing their aching heads, "Did we reach the pinball hall of fame yet?"

"Nope," Butch responded, "I told you we should've quit while we were ahead. Can we please give it a rest already?"

The leader looked down feeling hurt. He really wanted to make up for all the ways he wronged Townsville and the rest of the world even if redemption in others' eyes seemed hopeless. (Although, that very negativity eating away their vigor only made the evil ones seem stronger.) Who cares what others said? "Well…" Shrieking people interrupted his answer. The evil RRB continued their new rampage by picking up random people in singles or vehicles full and tossing them about like streamers. Appalled, the good ones smacked their foreheads and zipped about to remedy this. Of course, saving the people left no time for attacking the problem's source. Unsurprisingly, anyone comfortably set down only recoiled fearfully rather than thank the good ones. All the while, the evil ones had a good laugh at it while still tossing but became disappointed when they shrunk back to their original sizes with no explanation why.

"Aw, fiddlesticks!" Evil Butch complained, "We were just getting warmed up!"

"Guess it's harder than we thought to hold that size without being kissed or hugged," Evil Brick guessed.

"Check out the dark circles under their eyes," Evil Boomer laughingly pointed out.

Having finished one task, the good ones stood vigil over the Powerpuff crater surrounded by suspicious and fearful faces. The strain of alienation had finally gotten to them. Cramps much like what their malicious copies suffered yesterday pained their little heads. Distorted surroundings clouded their vision before they went into a standing-up trance. Everyone else desperately wanted to learn what was going on but didn't know how to approach, while worrying about the PPG at the same time. Perhaps Evil Brick's next taunt provided a clue, as the evil RRB flew in for a closer view. "You idiots just don't know when to stop. You can't get it through your heads: The true Rowdyruff Boys are bad, you hear me? Bad! B-A-D. Whadda the real ones care about playing nice with inferior life forms? Love is nothing but a railroad spike waiting to jab you in the chest and literally spill guts all over. And do you seriously think anybody's gonna accept ya with open arms after everything all six of us have done? Whatever faults befall us, befall you!"

Nope, no such chance. Civilians clutched their heads from confusion headaches. Some found themselves even wanting to believe the old-school RRB were the good ones. Speaking of which, each got trapped in miniature nondestructive tornadoes resulting from the breakdown and in their respective colors. Blurriness faded into different settings.

Gray sky devoid of sunlight overshadowed a black lifeless ocean. A nearly lifeless Brick plunged in back first and sunk without a prayer in the world. Negative emotions made him just too powerless to even try swimming back up. Shadows glared at and tortured the kid with voiceless remarks as heavy as a wrecking ball. Through bleary vision, he saw Evil Brick look down and chant. "Admit defeat, admit defeat…"

"No…I just…can't…"

Townsville with a mixed red and black skyline boasted a little more momentum. A powerless Boomer ran down a sidewalk, into the suburbs, and around houses having an angry mob on his trail. Evil Boomer led the police, S.W.A.T. team, urban suits, and farmers all armed with wooden poles. It wasn't long until they cornered him against the Utonium residence's front door. "Gotcha right where we wantcha!" a farmer declared.

"Leave me alone, you imposters!" Boomer stammered.

A smirking Evil Boomer grabbed him by the shirt collar and tossed him onto the lawn where all surrounded him. "These sticks represent Townsville's hatred towards you! Welcome to the first annual Anger Management!"

"Anger Management! Anger Management!" the others chorused.

"And, begin!" One pole after another slammed Boomer continuously without mercy.

Butch's illusion expressed slightly more color. The brunette found himself literally stuck to a chair and desk at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten, surrounded on all sides by students who seemed happy enough to tar and feather him. Other than occasional glares, they also seemed to be waiting for someone or something. Just then, Evil Butch strolled through the door wearing spectacles and carrying some book, both of which he set down on the teacher's desk. "Good morning, teacher," they greeted.

"Good morning, class," he replied, "Welcome to Torture 101." Butch attempted leaving the room but had suffered the same lack of powers like his brothers. "Leaving so soon? I wouldn't hear of it. Everybody get out your books and gather 'round our favorite fraud."

"You'll eat those words!" Butch retorted.

"No sassing the teacher." He and the other kids did just what he said, though holding more than just books. "Take aim." They did. "Fire!" All at once, it became a classroom free-for-all as Butch shielded himself from the assault. Fortunately, sharp objects such as pencils and scissors didn't impale his skin although they still hurt.

Back in reality, the PPG woke up and walked out from the crater shaking off the fatigue. People breathed a sigh of relief which the girls smiled at, only to falter upon seeing the good RRB frozen in place. The bad ones scoffed while pondering their own condition of remaining static. They had a chance to finish of their goody-goody counterparts, so why not take it? "What's wrong with them?" Blossom wondered, pointing towards the good ones.

"Looks like they're meditating," Buttercup guessed.

"Or sleepwalking," Bubbles added, "They look so sad."

"Hmm…" Blossom concluded. Just hearing their voices was all that the good ones required. A bright flash in each dream resulting in each boy's smiling female equivalent – Blossom right below Brick cutting through darker waters; Bubbles looking down on Boomer from the sky; Buttercup standing through the doorway of Butch's classroom – interrupted the various emotional tortures. Right then, all other scenes distorted once more and faded back into real-life Townsville. With no dark circles under their eyes, the good ones calmly stared across the district at citizens slightly worried again at what would happen before staring the PPG eye to eye. All remained ever quiet for a minute. Seeing the good ones touch the exact spots where they kissed them on the first occasion made the girls blush and struggle in vain to hide it. That's when Evil Boomer disturbed it.

"Are you chickies just gonna stand there all day and stare googly-eyed at yer…?" A death glare from the good ones stopped him in mid-sentence. They floated up face to face and conversed a bit.

"So," Butch began, "I recall being nice to ya gives you guys an advantage."

"First smart thought you've had all year," Evil Butch replied, "Love may have destroyed the old Rowdyruffs, but it makes us new boys stronger. What better power source couldja ask for?"

"You're absolutely right," Brick stated, "Love is a mighty power source. It makes us stronger too, just not in the same fashion."

"What're you morons blabbing about?" Evil Brick interrogated.

"Yeah!" Evil Boomer repeated, "What're you morons…?"

"We got four things you guys don't," Boomer interrupted, "The first one is faith in each other. And if you wanna learn the other three, come and get us." At that, the good ones sped towards the ocean near Monster Isle. The bad ones shrugged and followed. Down in Townsville, everybody took the previous conversation into consideration. Ironically, the PPG were practically inclined to believe it all. How else could they explain a sort of warm aura around the good ones during that staring session, or the lack of usual character?

"Girls?" Bubbles began, "I don't think the ones with smoother hair are lying."

"Me neither," Buttercup agreed, "I may be nicer now, but I still hate it when you act psychic like you did last night."

"C'mon!" Blossom ordered, "Let's go help!" Between Monster Isle and Townsville, the six airborne Rowdyruffs took a step backwards and returned to the same physical tactics like at the conflict's beginning. Anyone with weak eyesight needed a telescope to make out such tactics as Brick pulling on Evil Brick's hair, Boomer biting Evil Boomer's ankle, Evil Butch almost twisting Butch's right arm, etc. Having accepted their fate and focusing solely upon victory, the good ones stood a better chance this time. Fatigue from despair, depression, and rejection left them at least for the time being. Such also resulted in new techniques the evil ones couldn't imitate.

"Fire Breath!" Brick unleashed a pyrogenic stream from his mouth, roasting Evil Brick in the face.

"Aughhh!"

"Sonic Clap!" Boomer struck his mitts together for some sound waves to stun Evil Boomer. The enemy in question babbled as his mouth foamed.

"Uhhhhhh…"

"Energy Halos!" Butch's arms glowed lime-green as energy rings of the same hue appeared from his mitts, both of which he tossed in separate directions (up or down). Evil Butch balanced watching his opponent's rotating arms and the curious projections. Discovering the right moment, the good one made his move and bound the bad one easily. The rings' energetic force grew stronger as his arms glowed brighter.

"Unh! You can't…!" The new commotion lasted a few seconds longer before the good RRB gave it a rest. Shrugging off impossible mimicking attempts, the bad ones faced them for one last round. "Are those the other three things you wanted to show us earlier? Big deal! Even if we can't do the same, we barely sensed a thing."

"You're lying," Blossom countered, the girls floating alongside the good ones, "You obviously did get hurt."

"What're you girls doing here?" Butch questioned, "We told you to stay out of this."

"No can do," Buttercup replied, "As the protectors of Townsville, we go where we're needed."

"Aw, how touching," the bad ones chorused, instigating a new scene. It was all downhill from there. More exchanged physical blows created a second fireworks illusion. The good RRB liked fighting alongside the PPG and vice versa, loathe as the girls admitted. Then came combinations of what might've been romantic sorts. Blossom's Ice Breath spiraled with Brick's Fire Breath to permanently put Evil Brick in his place. Greater danger than a saliva-covered shirt lay in store for Evil Boomer via Bubbles' Sonic Scream from the left and Boomer's Sonic Clap from the right. Buttercup's Energy Spheres absorbed into Butch's Energy Halos and dealt a grueling hit for Evil Butch. The fight's volatility released shockwaves and blasts that reduced Monster Isle to a dead wasteland. Neither plant nor animal survived.

Once the kids caught their breath, the PPG led the RRB back to Townsville for an hour-long debate. Emotions rang high as indecision filled the streets. Some kept suspicious and wanted the boys run out of town before sunset. Some realized their newfound noble intentions and wished for them to stay. Others remained utterly unsure. The boys nervously waited outside one of Townsville Hall's conference room while the girls discussed it with the city's top government officials and tallied votes. Boomer chewed on his shirt. Butch tried stilling his shaky legs to no avail. Brick prepared a speech in his head. Guards wielding special ray guns kept a close eye until an official poked her head out from the room. "You may now enter, boys."

So that's exactly what they did. While officials remain seated, each Powerpuff floated out of her chair and faced her respective counterpart. "Alright, guys, we've made the final decision," Blossom announced.

"Before you start, my brothers and I must get something off our chests," Brick said.

"Oh?"

"Considering our reputation here, we don't expect anyone to believe whatever comes from our mouths. We've done so many unforgivable things here too strong for any apology. As you can already guess, the villain Mojo Jojo created us for evil purposes. His influence gave birth to inner demons who took control before we had a chance to think for ourselves. If there's one thing we hate ourselves most about, it's letting these demons push us around too easily. We could've fought back whenever but didn't. Who knows, I might be partially wrong. Maybe Mojo's influence gave the demons power too overwhelming for even the smallest conscience. Maybe I've no idea what I'm trying to say. In any case, we still feel highly responsible for the scraggly-haired boys' actions as much as our own. Therefore, we've reached possibly the toughest decision of our lives: We're leaving Townsville."

At those last three words, everyone else felt taken aback as if the opposite vote was to win out. Speech stayed cut off for ten seconds. "Uh, yes," another official spoke, "You say you're leaving Townsville. Forever?"

"We don't know for sure, but that seems most likely," Boomer answered.

The PPG faced each other before shaking the boys' mitts. "Well, if that's the way it's gonna be, we respect your decision," Blossom said.

For the next half hour, all eyes within city limits watched streaks of red, dark-blue, and dark-green disappear into the distance. Happy, sad, and uncertain faces dotted Townsville until evening. Once again, the girls stayed up a little past their bedtime to watch the stars while contemplating. In their young lives, they weren't entirely prepared for what transpired today. "I knew it the whole time," Bubbles said, "But I wonder why it took so long?"

"Wrong influence," Buttercup answered, "You heard what they said today. And you even heard yourself last night."

"If you ask me, I doubt we've seen the last of 'em," Blossom noted, "Have you girls noticed? For every second we live, the world's getting stranger by the day."

"Don't know about that," Bubbles continued, "But you know, I still think the blond's cute." Buttercup and Blossom exchanged curious looks and just shrugged. An interesting theory about making such creatures as them certainly came up today despite purposeful intentions or lack thereof. However, that would take further analysis reserved for another day.

The End


	4. Intrepatuff Break

Blossom's understatement of stranger days should've been just that: a simple understatement. The girls had seen a bonanza of strangeness in their unnatural lives. So why did it feel different enough to bother them during R.E.M. sleep? Is this how growing up emotionally felt? Did it come from encountering good and evil RRB? Well, hardly anyone considered losing certain figures through hidden forces worthy of even thinking about. Losing Dynamo to a vengeful nanobot was in fact a miracle due to its awkward destructive nature. The same deal held true for the RRB's ragged-haired inner demons; the world only needed one parcel. Everybody remained undecided on the now lifeless Monster Isle: Eliminating the violent inhabitants dramatically reduced disaster percentage, although there probably existed a more agreeable solution. But more would pop up soon enough for every one gone. Question was, what did they have in store for Townsville and possibly the entire universe?

New trouble arrived on the scene that very night the good Rowdyruffs departed for parts unknown. Townsville suffered plenty of damage, no surprise there. Construction workers, law officials, and insurance salespeople had their umpteenth field day. Airborne and seafaring vessels alike dared not near Monster Isle. People on land didn't in fact glimpse the dusty mess even once, or they would've caught one sight defying description as well as another ironic. The island calmly sank into the depths without really impacting anything else, but not before someone escaped at the last minute. Out of the soil arose three floating figures: the evil Rowdyruffs! Combined heroic efforts hadn't worked after all. Pitch dark shrouded torn clothing, massive dirt stains, countless scrapes and bruises, and foggy vision. What little moonlight shone down couldn't unveil them enough for eyes on the mainland. The trio caught their breath while watching the land sink. "Looks like we escaped just in time!" Evil Brick declared.

"Yeah, just in time!" Evil Butch repeated.

"Oh, shut up! You're starting to sound like Boomer!"

"And you call me the dummy?" Evil Boomer said, "You two bore me with yer silly argument. I say we go pay those stupid girls and our wimpy other selves a visit."

"We'll argue if we want, dummy! Then again, I think you just found a brain for the second time, even though I'm the one calling the shots. Let's go freshen up first."

"That won't be necessary," came a fourth voice. All six eyes faced someone (or something) rising out from what was once Monster Isle's center. The evil ones didn't need much light to make out some female youth-like figure with a strange projection from her back shaped like a scorpion tail, a glowing red-orange left eye, deep exhaustive breathing, and missing the following: right leg, eye, and left arm. Blue fluorescence instilled by the moonlight didn't make identifying her any easier.

"Huh," Evil Butch scoffed, "Who're you supposed to be, sister?"

"A predator," was the response. Before they knew it, the newcomer pursed her lips and vacuumed the saps into her stomach. Vain escape attempts preceded a gray fluorescence replacing the blue. But that was only the beginning.

"So what else is new?" a different and rather grumpy female voice commented. In an apartment room colored entirely white, the wrongdoer once (and still) known only as Femme Fatale read about the double RRB incident. No one knew her under any other name due to records she personally deleted to avoid quick capture before going around stealing Susan Anthony coins that particular day. Her sexist behavior got the PPG going for a while until a good talking-to from Ms. Bellum, Ms. Keane, and three woman victims turned it back around. Stealing and a hypocritical attitude landed her a new record of jail time. Now Femme Fatale had been released on parole, though she retained her grudge against men. She crumpled up the newspaper and tossed it aside. "I'm right, but so are the girls. I gotta find me a new strategy."

"No, you should retire," a younger voice echoed.

"Too simple… wait a minute, who said that?" All lights immediately went off. Femme Fatale flicked and pulled on every switch available to no avail using only the meager illumination from outside. "What's going on? Who's there?" The criminal's sight panned upon a shadow belonging to some mysterious X-creation (A/N: 'X-creation' is what I label any being like the PPG) floating in front of the window. She detected a body, arms, legs, and a patch of white on her head (no doubt hair) standing out against the darkness.

"Hello, hypocrite," the X-creation greeted, "My mistress told me so much about you."

"Who dares enter my apartment?" Femme Fatale reached for the gun on her end table. "I know you're one of the Powerpuff Girls. Blossom, I presume?"

The visitor fried the gun with her laser vision and almost got the adult's fingertips. "Wrong as usual. My identity matters less from where you stand. I hear you have it in for males."

Femme Fatale tried unsuccessfully to hide her nervousness. "Well, yeah. Surely you should understand how poorly women are treated even now. That's why I am the way I am. There are plenty of female villains in the world, but only a few like me actually stand above the rest."

"Go on."

Nervous turned into inspiration. "Say! Why don't you and I join forces and bring about the destruction of all male influence? Just think how great a team we could be. Your little bag load of tricks could take you places with my guidance. Whaddaya say?"

For a moment, it looked as if the visitor pondered the offer. Femme Fatale took advantage of the distraction by slowly withdrawing another weapon. But shock came when the former uplifted the latter by her shirt high enough where both heads almost touched the ceiling. A smaller gun dropped out of Femme Fatale's hand before she received a lecture. "You really think I'm gonna fall for that lowly maneuver? Didn't you hear me mention the term 'mistress'? I require no other guidance except from her."

"Unh…well…you gotta admit…I speak the truth…unh…"

"A ruse nonetheless. It's one thing to go about preaching gender equality and another to act like a complete sexist cretin yourself. But all this just to steal some petty currency and take back what you told others behind their backs?

"Mmph…You're lying, it's…nothing of the sort!"

"The only thing worse than a hypocrite is a hypocrite in denial. I wouldn't associate with you if someone stuck my head in a guillotine." No more conversation filled the room. After being plopped on the couch, F.F. reached for the phone but withdrew when another round of eye lasers reduced it to black husks. Escape proved nearly impossible as more melted down the doorknob and window casings. Many rather soft bunts accompanied by just a few hard hits rained down on F.F. while she scrambled about her room for at least a minute or so. In conclusion, a bright yellow glow emanating from the visitor's mouth rammed the adult through that door and out into the hall paralyzed with fear.

At what appeared as an old Tudor home part of a separate district from Pokey Oaks, no other light than that from a television set and a computer screen pierced the darkness. Some grown man wearing an office suit whittled his time away watching a primetime marathon of Puppet Pals reruns while filing a report: none other than the infamous Mr. Morebucks. The 'house' he now resided in was one of his many small offices blending in with lower surroundings. It was one of the few places where the man got comfort from putting up with an inhumanely whiny child nearly 24-7. Sometimes he wondered why he saddled himself with that mistake of a child. He'd rather die than tell her about this secret dwelling. "Hey, Puppet Pal Clem! What time is it when the clock strikes thirteen?"

"I don't know, Puppet Pal Mitch. What time?"

"Time to bonk!" As with anyone else interested, Mr. Morebucks chuckled when Mitch clubbed Clem. Well, at least the Puppet Pals provided comfort for easing worries. "Hey, Puppet Pal Clem! What did one stick say to the other?"

"You got me, Puppet Pal Mitch. What?"

"That's the dumbest joke I ever heard." A second child-like voice echoed loud enough to blot out the next line on television. In surprise, Mr. Morebucks withdrew from his work and turned off both appliances before standing up.

"Okay, who are you? What're you doing in my office?"

"Is that any way to treat a kid?" Mr. Morebucks faced the window and saw the blurry silhouette of another unknown X-creation floating around. He noticed something like a ponytail and a dress, so it was definitely a girl (if the voice hadn't yet pointed it out). Shock all but disappeared.

"One of the Nimcompuff Girls come to pay me a visit, huh? As if my life isn't plenty difficult already?"

"You must have me confused for someone else."

"Don't play dumb; I don't care what voice or hairstyle you've taken! It was difficult enough raising that brat Princess without you three adding on!"

The girl slowly backed the adult up against a wall, coincidentally next to a clothing bureau. "I know all about you, Mr. Morebucks. I know how you work when it comes to child care." As she spoke, the adult male reached into a drawer for a gun but pulled away when eye lasers fried the furniture piece. "Anyone ever tell you that you don't deserve to be called a parent?" By now, Mr. Morebucks had lost his sanity and threw every available solid object at the girl which she easily deflected while casually continuing her talk. "That's right; you obviously don't know how to raise children properly. Strange the proper authorities haven't brought this to your main door by now."

Mr. Morebucks pulled out a stack of cash from his pocket and tried reasoning with her. "I have money! Here!"

She smacked it away. "All the fancy paper and metal circles in your account won't matter once all recognize the most powerful being in existence and the world's future ruler: my mistress."

The man busted through the nearest window but couldn't escape from the girl grabbing him by his pants. "Let me go! And get away from me!"

"I hate rudeness. Oh well, at least you'll have every second you'll ever need in the nearest mental ward to think about it." She administered alternating soft and hard hits same as the unknown X-creation before her. Of course, Mr. Morebucks was too frightened to realize he hadn't been hurt that badly. The real pain came when the girl raised shoulders and swiveled hips back and forth as if dancing. After a sound wave slammed the tycoon into the one exterior wall bearing the window he smashed out of, she then left him holding the bag.

"Quiet!" Princess demanded, "…Keep it down, I'm trying to sleep! …Doesn't anyone hear me?" The Morebucks residence had lost all action for the night much like the rest of the city. But now someone or something worked hard to stir up a ruckus. Servants handling cleaning and cooking duties escaped with little damage and didn't look back. On the other hand, security received quite a thrashing. "That does it! I'm coming out!" Covers drooped upon the floor as Princess stomped out from her bedroom. In going with the villainous tranquility, she'd been inactive following the day Bubbles foiled her recycled scheme of making crime legal until now. Pressing a button underneath her sleepwear's chest overshadowed it with silver-colored cybertomic armor: the third upgrade.

Nothing scared Princess tonight, not even the lights suddenly shorting out. Whoever disturbed her beauty sleep would pay dearly, so she thought. The sight of a third unidentified X-creation hovering in a messy dining room above beat-up servants inspired shock, jealousy, and annoyance all at once. "Well, well," it replied, making eye contact, "What took you so long, sleepyhead?"

"Oh, great! I can't best three Powerpuff Girls, and now a fourth one makes the scene! What's the meaning of intruding upon private property? And while I'm thinking of it, what're you doing stealing my hairstyle?"

Curly tufts on both sides of the intruder's head created a bit of a similarity. Now if only Princess could literally shed more light upon her. "I neither stole anything nor am a Powerpuff or Rowdyruff."

"Well, whadda you call yerself? Sourbuff? Metalduff?"

"Why don'tcha beat me in a match and find out? I hear you're a greater challenge than maybe your father."

Hearing that last word made Princess realize something she missed in plain sight. "The servants!" She ran up to the dazed procession, grabbed one's arm, and whimpered. "Daddy better not be the same! If he dies, who'll buy me all the birthday presents I can stuff into Mt. St. Helens? Who'll pay for my weapons?"

"Pathetic." The intruder must've struck another Achilles heal. Floating up to her eye level, Princess' face twisted into her meanest glare yet as her arms glowed with gold energy.

"This is my latest upgrade, designed to resist every known Powerpuff or Rowdyruff attack. No one, and I mean NO ONE, breaks into Morebucks Manor uninvited and LIVES TO TELL ABOUT IT!" So began a new, larger battle in the mansion that night. The X-creation had her mitts full but narrowly countered every assault thrown by Princess. Barreling one another through walls two times each busted up everything Mr. Morebucks worked for: house, trophies, cars, furniture, the works. Had a light clearly revealed her face, one would see how much the intruder wished this whole thing done. For that, she produced some ribbon-shaped brown energy from her arm and lashed at the cybertomic armor's torso. Silence and slowed time preceded the cracking of Princess' shell and a slight brutal beating inflicted primarily for psychological anguish.

The intruder floated above the bratty child in indifference until some closing words broke a minute's worth of further silence. "Blaming others for your mistakes only comes back to haunt you in the end. Your classmates weren't mean to you on your first day of school here. The Powerpuff Girls didn't act selfish, spoiled, jealous, or humiliate or turn everyone against you. No, you got it all switched around. And of course they ruin everything; because you hate them. Keep that in mind." Princess fearfully nodded yes as the X-creation calmly floated out of the damaged building, abandoning a pair of wide-eyed stunned figures.

Police officers, cars, and yellow tape surrounded each crime scene the next day. All living quarters were placed under eviction until further notice. Most analysis took place at the police station with the PPG interrogating the Morebucks father/daughter couple, both of which remained shaky and clad in their sleepwear. A group of offices stood close by taking notes. Last night's shock weighed too heavily for Femme Fatale; she'd long since been transported to an out-of-state mental hospital, one of the nation's finest. Differences of opinion strove to make things more difficult. "It was one of you!" Mr. Morebucks insisted, "Even though everyone calls me greedy, I'm sensible enough to know this couldn't've been a prank!"

"You got the wrong girls," Buttercup argued, "Blossom has a larger ponytail than that, and Bubbles and I don't wear our hair any other way. Besides, we were fast asleep at the time."

"Then it was those boys!"

"Doubtful," Blossom said, "Not after that struggle from two days ago." For all the current affairs in Townsville, although people noticed Monster Isle missing from its original spot, not even an orbiting satellite witnessed the deformed youth's actions. Alas, all continued believing the PPG and RRB destroyed the latter group's inner demons. Maybe it didn't matter much either way.

"'Don't compare me to the Powerpuff Girls or Rowdyruff Boys'," Princess calmly quoted, "So this is what she meant."

"What?" Bubbles asked. But the two victims' sanity reached its own limits, and they immediately collapsed onto the floor unconscious. Stretchers slid underneath both bodies as paramedics rushed them to the same out-of-state location.

"Right," an officer said, "You girls can go on back to school now. Don't worry, we'll let the mayor know if anything new comes up." The girls shrugged and left the station without another thought.

"More Powerpuffs?" Bubbles pondered.

"Probably," Blossom said, "Princess and her dad didn't see much in the dark. I wonder how Femme Fatale's electricity just switched off without affecting the rest of the building or the intruder damaging any circuitry?"

"**I** wonder where they came from?" Buttercup chimed, "Think Mojo's responsible?"

"Good question. He has been quiet for a while now, and that is the only plan which ever came close to actually defeating us."

"There's Him," Bubbles pointed out, "He brought back the Rowdyruff Boys."

"Can't be," Buttercup said, "He told us that he doesn't give repeat performances."

"That was only resurrection," Blossom explained, "Who knows, he may have made something this time. He might even be behind Monster Isle's sudden disappearance like Citysville before it sometime back. Frankly, I can't think of any mortal strong enough to make an entire burg and an island just sink without leaving a trace, even Mojo Jojo."

Yes indeed, the same location where the girls quickly made themselves more unwelcome than before no longer existed. Only a murky black lake stood in Citysville's place. How did it get that way? Perhaps the answer lay amongst recent occurrences in the country of South Africa somewhere in the Kalahari Desert. For no reason at all, a sandy geyser just erupted near Hotazel without warning or explanation. Few claimed seeing most likely what the evil RRB must've seen. Nobody knew what became of Citysville's inhabitants. Water from the surrounding rivers naturally filled up a crater in place of the settlement. Whoever was responsible must've emitted some dark essence rendering the lake comatose. Some interdimensional cave much like Him's abode had been situated underneath with a carefully disguised entrance replacing what used to be a road leading into the destroyed suspension bridge.

Last night's unknown X-creations stood in a horizontal line in what must've been the living room while waiting patiently. The same deformed youth ogled a shapeless dimensional window panning across various clips of Townsville history. Despite little light beaming through, the three smaller ones seemed restless as their private conversation proved. Femme Fatale's attacker had positioned herself centrally with Mr. Morebucks' attacker on her right and Princess' assailant on the left; the last one spoke first. "I'm getting tired of playing errand girl in the shadows. That brat was no challenge; I wanna fight somebody worthy of my strength out where they can see me."

"Well, you're not alone," the middle one replied, "But you remember the rules. We only go out when the mistress commands it."

The aforementioned individual, the deformed figure, turned around in response with a calm yet unpleased expression. The X-creations recoiled fearfully at having maybe upset her. "Please forgive us," the one on the right stammered, "We never meant you any disdain, ma'am."

"Of course not," was the response, "Under regular circumstances, I'd punish you for questioning my authority. But since I only created you three weeks ago and was about to send you into the open anyhow, I'll let it slide this time. Just learn to mind your manners later on."

"Perish the thought," the middle acknowledged, all three respectively bowing, "We will, Mistress."

"Still, I simply can't tear away from hiding just a tad further…"

"Whatcha reading, Blossom?" Bubbles asked, looking up from tying knots in yarn. Some school days at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten only lasted until noon. Others like this went all the way to 2 o'clock. After paying the police station a visit, nothing new came out of the current mystery for the girls. The police couldn't've just forgotten to signify the mayor about new developments so he'd call the girls. No matter how dense a population Townsville boasted, nobody fooled around with matters involving the law. Or maybe such anxious thoughts were simply a trick of the mind. With only two minutes remaining in the school day, Blossom passed her time away reading some short stories. Buttercup continued studying Arabic.

"Eh, a collection of African folktales."

"What's this one about?"

"Two friends, one rich and the other poor, look so much alike that people confuse them as brothers. The rich one wants to marry a chief's daughter and so must go five days and five nights without food and water."

Blossom couldn't finish quickly enough before the buzzing hotline interrupted, which Buttercup gladly answered. Not that she disliked learning a different language, but the distraction from the current boredom made her happy. "Yes? …Uh huh…Well, we can do that, but we haven't used it all day…Yeah, we're coming."

"What's going on?" Blossom asked.

"The mayor asked if we cloned ourselves and why. He says three imposters are floating outside his office window. Oh yeah, he also asked if it made us responsible for what happened last night."

"But we're not," Bubbles said, "I was busy winning my 20th award for the prettiest statue ever when it happened. Then again, I remember somebody trying to ruin it by throwing rocks. Um, did I turn into a somnambulist?"

"No, Bubbles," Blossom answered, "Whoever it is the mayor saw must be the real culprits." The bell rang. "And there's no telling what they'll do if we don't get moving."

The PPG took a quick trip home to drop off their stuff before heading for Townsville Hall. Like an eclipse, the three mysterious imposters cast shadows visible from quite a far distance. How could anyone ignore the now unveiled assailants responsible for Femme Fatale and the Morebucks father-daughter couple's traumas? Though, it was anybody's guess what these three had planned since they'd apparently dropped their previous behavior and just waited around without causing damage. "Now what?" the Bubbles copy asked, "Whadda we do now?"

"You've asked four times now," the Blossom copy stated, "The mistress told us to do nothing until the Powerpuff Girls show up."

"I still don't understand why we gotta wear these silly disguises," the Buttercup copy said, "Why not just show 'em our faces and get it over with?"

"None of us decides how she commands us. We just pay the price if we disobey."

"They're here!" the Bubbles copy announced. Each girl faced her respective counterpart momentarily, none knowing how to begin fighting.

"Who are you?" Bubbles asked, "Why do you look like us?" But the imposters said nothing.

"And what's the idea going around picking on others who hadn't even done anything wrong at the time?" Buttercup added. No response.

"Don't just float there with your mouths closed," Blossom demanded, "Say something." That command must've done it. After exchanging nods, the imposters fried the PPG with eye lasers quicker than the heroes could react.

"Alright, I get the message," Buttercup stated, "You three are definitely not friends. If it's a fight you want, you got it!"

Lasers, punches, kicks, and gales filled an out-of-town clearing that afternoon. The PPG knew it would be difficult battling more creatures like themselves but not how difficult. Hand or eye, lasers always canceled each other out. All fighters got in at least ten bruises on each other until the tables turned on the heroes. Possessing superb skills the whole time, the mysterious strangers must've previously trained hard in simulations but still required taking on the actual Powerpuffs. Yes, that certainly explained why they started off shaky. Now the strangers barely broke a sweat or made any more significant moves. Both groups soon retreated long enough for the tired PPG to stare closed-eyed and relaxed counterparts. "You can't fool us," Blossom shot, "We know you're just hiding your fatigue."

But the girls gasped when the imposters unveiled different eye colors underneath those eyelids. The Blossom copy's eyes were yellow rather than pink. Bubbles' counterpart's eyes expressed silver where blue belonged. Brown eyes replaced green for Buttercup's opponent. "Uh, what's wrong with your eyes?" Bubbles questioned.

"Our camouflage is wearing off," the brown-eyed one spoke, "About time." With that, the look-alikes clapped their hands and glowed in the same colors as their eyes. Out of last night's blanket of mystery came a brand new set of X-creations. Each wore the same Powerpuff outfits but expressed much darker skin. The yellow-eyed leader wore a matching yellow dress and had white hair reaching to her waist and ending in spikes. Clad in a silver dress, the silver-eyed girl boasted deep blue hair tied in a slim ponytail. And the brown-eyed member exhibited a brown dress complimenting pink curly hair parted in the middle. All three's determined expressions didn't strike the PPG as the criminal kind although they took no chances.

"Excellent," Blossom commented, "You've shown your faces. Now who are you?"

"Yeah!" Bubbles added, then motioning to the brown one, "And why do you look like Princess?"

"We're the Intrepatuff Girls," the yellow answered, ignoring the last question, "I am Tuesday, the leader and brains." She motioned to the silver girl. "This is my sister Penny, and she's no baby." She then motioned to the brown girl. "And this is my other sister Azalea, who's always eager for a challenge. You're the Powerpuff Girls: Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup."

"How do you know our names?" Buttercup asked.

"Our maker has watched over you for a while now," Penny explained, "She knows about everything under the sun and other places too, although I can't think of any place not under the sun. But she im-…im-…"

"Imparted," Azalea said, "She imparted knowledge about you and your enemies to us. Though, we refer to her as our mistress."

"So you're not acting on your own," Blossom said.

"You could put it that way," Tuesday continued, "If you wanna learn more, let's continue our duel."

"Say no more," Buttercup responded, instigating the next round.

Three separate conflicts now dotted the landscape. Various moments the PPG found themselves easily matched with the Intrepatuff Girls, other moments the latter dominated. Either way, the former were quickly getting nowhere. This round differed from the last in that both sides found out they had much to discuss. Blossom wrestled Tuesday on a bare patch of dirt, kicking up clouds as they rolled along. The pink 'puff found it increasingly harder breaking her opponent's grip. "Why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Traumatize them?"

"Them? You mean the girl blinded by pride, her so-called father, and the single woman?"

"Yes, that them!" Tuesday floated back a foot to wait long enough to let Blossom stand up and catch her breath. "Answer my question."

"Femme Fatale was a sexist hypocrite, Princess Morebucks a demanding little brat, and Mr. Morebucks anything but a loving father. Why would you care what happens to enemies?"

"At least we don't go around scaring others with everything under the sun! At least, not in that lowly fashion!"

"This coming from one of three individuals who terrorized the Sandman in his dreams all because he wanted a little sleep?"

"He's got nothing to do with this! Besides, he shouldn't've schemed!"

"Well, the fact remains you've no place in blaming me for mutual actions."

Not wanting to hurt any innocent living things nearby, Bubbles took her fight against Penny to a green meadow. She narrowly dodged hand lasers which instead singed grass and created a pattern of disorderly, diagonal crisscross lines. "Hey, watch it! You're hurting the grass! And you might start a big fire!"

"No, I won't. I've learned how to control my lasers to a certain point."

"But you're still gonna hurt someone or something! At least…" Bubbles observed her surroundings a bit closer. Burn marks dotted mostly the area in which the two fought. If there existed outside damage, nothing they threw out injured so much as the tips of tree leaves. "Ummm…well, you…"

Penny floated just a tidbit closer. "As you can plainly see, you're my only target. I've got nothing to hold against innocent plants unless you force me to."

"Why're you even doing all of this? What'd anybody ever do to you?"

"I couldn't possibly spoil a thing. You've got bigger things to worry about right now."

"If you make me get really mean, I won't show mercy!"

"Just try me."

Buttercup and Azalea naturally burned off more calories. Having nowhere else to fight, they'd taken to the sky while carefully making sure they caused no damage. Buttercup already knew her reason behind precautions: Smashing things up already weakened her and her sisters' reputations bad enough. So why didn't Azalea keep true to her supposed villainous roots by causing distractions? What did the ITG hide? "You could use a good hinny whoopin'!"

"Funny, I was thinking the same. You and I are alike in the sense that we're not satisfied just sitting around."

"Never thought I'd agree with a faker. But why bother masquerading like us Powerpuffs when you could've stepped out and said, 'Hey, everybody! We're here! We stink!'?"

"Bluster all you want. That'll only disturb your concentration."

"Why, I oughta…"

"Ice Breath!"

"Sonic Scream!"

"Energy Spheres!" The PPG decided the conflict had lasted long enough and so unleashed their unique attacks. But would this faze the ITG? Of course not! Each 'tuff took it head-on as time slowed around them. Seconds turned into minutes between all oncoming assaults on either side. No 'puff avoided dealing damage.

"Light Breath!" Tuesday coughed up her same yellow mouth beam which cut through the opposing wintry blast and exploded on Blossom's face.

"Sonic Groove!" Penny raised one shoulder and lowered the other, switching back and forth while swiveling her hips again. Bubbles wouldn't've thought much about it until the former's body unleashed supersonic waves canceling out the latter's scream and nailing her amongst a tree's foliage.

"Energy Whip!" Azalea's right arm glowed in brown energy that formed itself into a ribbon shape one certain family would recognize on the spot. She used it for smacking away the green projectiles and landing an electrocution on Buttercup's back, nearly knocking her out of the sky.

Still, the PPG remained far from done. They instantly recovered from those last blows and stared the ITG face to face, their backs coincidentally on Townsville. Five seconds passed before both groups made sharp U-turns in opposing directions. "Furious…" Blossom began.

"…Fiery…" Bubbles added.

"…Feline!" Buttercup concluded. All three 'puffs flew near the exosphere, doubled back, and flew towards Earth. Three fireballs expressing increasing intensity merged into a cat-headed comet, a technique the girls hadn't used since the incident of a cat-searching blob monster.

"Razzle-Dazzle!" the opposition chorused. At the same time the heroes made their preparations, the ITG followed suit via holding each other's mitts in a circle while flying straight up. Light trails continually brightened and created sparks as the trio did their own merging into some eccentric dervish that thumped the comet, disintegrating into a shower of more engulfing sparks. Flames died out. Nothing saved the PPG from an airborne spiral motion slamming them down into the grass four consecutive times. Oh, but the skirmish wasn't over yet. In conclusion, the heroes got lifted one final moment and placed in free fall before a slam deepened the crater. Some resulting shockwaves short-circuited nearly two-thirds of Townsville's machinery. Floating off to one side while breaking their formation, the ITG took this time not only to endure slight dizziness but also let the PPG stand back up.

"Guess we still need more practice," Tuesday stated.

"What in blazes was that?" Blossom declared.

"The Razzle-Dazzle, otherwise known as Flower Petals of Doom," Penny answered, "Though personally, I still think we should've named it Sassafras."

"We expected more of a challenge," Azalea chimed, "You haven't practiced enough."

"Ooh, you…" Buttercup remarked, as she and her sisters fell flat on their stomachs from exhaustion. Unable to further persist, the PPG covered their heads expecting oblivion. Nevertheless, the ITG instead pondered their next move rather than take a free opportunity.

"Whadda we do with them?" Azalea asked.

"I can't say," Tuesday spoke, "The mistress only told us to soften them up. She never said anything else."

"And it's no fun kicking others while they're down," Penny noted. Suddenly, the ITG glowed a familiar gray color and disappeared from the battlefield. With nothing happening for nineteen straight seconds, the PPG uncovered themselves and searched about confused. By now, they'd gained sufficient rest to at least arise again.

"Where'd they go?" Bubbles wondered.

Yellow, silver, and brown light filled the interdimensional cave under the black lake. The ITG stood up from kneeling positions while laying eyes on their ever-shrouded superior, who now didn't look as disturbed. They'd been left in the dark about today's mission as well; the youth-like figure only told them what to do but not why. "Good evening, Mistress," Tuesday greeted, "What do you now wish of us?"

"Nothing I can think of at the moment," the mistress responded.

"Forgive me for asking, but why'd you call us back so soon?" Penny said, "We never even figured out what to do next."

"That was only to give the Powerpuff Girls a warning as well as something to think about. Their downfall will come when **I** say so."

"And where does that leave us?" Azalea added.

"You got some z's to catch up on."

"Z's?" Penny wondered, "As in sleep?" The mistress nodded. "It's not even 8 o'clock yet."

"And what're you gonna do?" Tuesday put in.

"None of your concern. Hop aboard the dreamland express this instant."

"Ma'am!" the girls saluted, "We will, Mistress." She watched them levitate into another room (no doubt their bedroom) without a single peep behind. Making sure she heard the door shut completely and the girls snoozing, the mistress turned back around to watch a new projection screen while glowing gray again. Had anyone witnessed, a closer study revealed her undergoing some mental training as if attempting to sense certain energies. Red splotches of varying sizes covered different areas on a map of Townsville and a few contiguous places. Judging by their expressionless sleeping faces, what the ITG felt in this entire affair defied description. Who was their clandestine mistress? What intentions would she have befall the world? Only the stars knew.

The End


	5. Threetails

Note: Once again, I borrowed details from more episodes that didn't agree with me (this case being Seed No Evil and Sweet 'n Sour). The chant used by Him translates from Afrikaan to 'Great jewel of the sand please hear my request: Grant me that which I desire best'.

Nervousness was a natural occurring phenomenon considering Townsville's abnormally large number of average disasters on a daily basis. Any monster or wrongdoer invoked it every while, no surprise there. But whoever operated the week's previous incidents did a better job than expected. Everyone knew the Powerpuff Girls got in sticky situations before today when the Intrepatuff Girls made the scene and would pull through sometime anyhow. Though, the heroes in question couldn't fall asleep fast enough with the new mischief makers fresh on their minds. Who was their supposed mistress? What did she want with Townsville and maybe the entire universe also? And for that matter, why'd the ITG play so nice? Had anyone seen whom their mistress absorbed, they'd know just how terrible of an enemy they were facing (alongside the shock of failed brave efforts).

Others slept rather peacefully where the PPG didn't. The ITG also remained clueless but dared not argue with their superior. Speaking of which, she slinked around various alleyways in town until a secret meeting not too far from Townsville Hall caught her attention. A group estimated at 50 members standing a foot tall had their own malicious intentions for the unsuspecting populace. Posters boasting smiley animal faces with beady eyes decorated the adjoining walls. Dim light from a nearby lamp unveiled them as living stuffed animals whose very appearance would make Bubbles gush. A pink rabbit stood at center front tutoring three others – a black-nosed white dog, a yellow cat, and an indigo giraffe – while the rest stood back to watch carefully. A tossed newspaper on the side held an advertisement with creatures like them; apparently a craze that would hit Townsville tomorrow. "From the top again," the rabbit spoke. The giraffe pretended to hit the other three. "'Ow! You hit me!'"

"'Please!'" the dog mock-begged, "'Have mercy!'"

"'But you broke the law!'" the giraffe added.

"'We're sorry'," the rabbit acted, "'We didn't know it was wrong.'"

"'We're just poor little orphans'," the dog said.

"'Please'," the cat concluded, rubbing against the giraffe, "'We won't do it again'." Then the act subsided, and all actors faced their audience. "So, how'd I do?"

"Awesome," one onlooker answered, pointing to the dog, "You actually made me wanna come up and stroke you on the head. If a bunch of these mortals were dumb enough to protect that big-headed monkey, imagine how easily we'll succeed."

"So what's the plan?" another asked.

Taking role as leader, the rabbit withdrew a piece of paper from a pocket sewed on its left hip. Unfolding it not only extended it to the holder's height but also revealed an image of a stout puce diamond covered in yellow speckles on a white background. "Ooooooooooooh," the others beamed.

"Behold," the rabbit continued, "The key to increasing our powers. Humans call it the African Piquant. Only the most special at heart, good or evil, can harness its inner essence. It'll grant whoever holds it his or her deepest desire. Anything you want."

"Anything?" yet another wondered.

"That's what I just said. Anything."

"So we can wish those Powerpuffs dead!" came a fourth voice.

"Child's play!" a fifth argued, "We should wish ourselves the dominant species of Earth!"

"Make that the universe," the giraffe added.

"But what about the competition?" the dog wondered, "Won't those big and tall losers want it for themselves?"

"Why so upset?" the rabbit returned, "It's all in the brains and speed. The lobster's a toughie, but we just gotta be quicker. The people of Townsville are either too curious for their own good or completely stupid. We just gotta act like the toys we are and swipe it under their noses since they'd never find the nerve to hinder something adorable like us. Even so, that's why we're practicing our sympathy acts."

"You rule!" the others complimented.

"Too kind, really," the rabbit blushed.

"So when do we start?" the cat continued. But a sudden breeze interrupted everything just before the rabbit could answer. Echoing footsteps heralded a presence familiar to the squadron as all eyes faced the same youthful figure from Monster Isle making her way into the area. Ultraviolet lighting in the same blue illumination unveiled a dark-skinned teenager who'd perceptibly seen better days. Three different hair hues – black on her left side, orange in center, and white on her right – defined smooth-cut hair on a round head missing a right eye. A scorpion's abdomen protruded out of the middle of her back with an upside-down barb wound at least a foot straight over her head. In conjunction with the stubs that used to be the girl's right leg and left arm, another pair just centimeters above the rear replaced what must've been two more scorpion tails. Clad in a navy leotard-like suit, she had virtually no trouble working around despite physical issues.

Each doll stared on curiously until realization to her identity created an indifferent atmosphere. A smirking rabbit took this intrusion rather calmly and confronted the girl. Everyone else remained seated calmly and therefore attempted no attacks. Though, the girl cared less if the entire world surrounded her, much less a freak-filled alley corner. "Someone forget to invite me?"

"Howdy do, Threetails," the pink rabbit crooned, "The kids and I didn't think you'd make it for the election of the universe's once and future president: yours truly."

"Two millennia can be cruel when you're trapped underneath miles of silicon dioxide," Threetails replied.

"Aw, what's the matter?" another teased, "Not enough sodium in yer diet?" Threetails ignored the giggles filling the area.

"Those mortals got you bad, Threetails," the rabbit continued, "But tell us, what kind of moronic excuse for a demon lets some child knock 'em down under several depths of sand? Weren't you even paying attention back in high school? How'd they even let you graduate?"

Threetails shook her head. "Poor, poor fuzzball. I could ask the same question. Think I'm not up-to-date on how much the world's changed ever since my defeat? Well, think again. I've learned all about this new era after my return months back: the founding of so many different nations, superb inventions, your exploits or lack thereof, and a tiny yet powerful triumvirate named the Powerpuff Girls."

"For once, we're in agreement. Those're some strong wimps we got ourselves here."

"That's not the point. Because, I really can't have competition running around ruining my plans for hostile takeover. Especially lame competition."

The rabbit cocked its head having a pretty good idea whom she referred to judging by the look in her eyes. "Lame? Excuse me, but do you even know who yer messing with here?"

"Yes: pathetic figments of people's imaginations personified in the dumbest way possible. Who in their right minds believes in things under the bed, the Sandman, invisible friends, or other such stupidity anymore? Nothing but mortal mind tricks."

"You dare diss us?" one retorted. Vexation replaced indifference, and all felt ready to tar and feather Threetails.

"As a top-ranking demon in the infernal hierarchy, I can diss anyone of my choosing. Just look at this disgrace. Whadda you fools plan on doing once you've fooled the young and old? Create a cheap amusement park that doubles as a military base to conquer the universe using smiles and hearts? Gag me."

"Who you calling cheap?" another shouted

"What a shame seeing such a rich concentration of negative energy go to waste. Townsville's mind numbness precedes itself."

"At least we're not missing our limbs, Miss Physically Challenged," the rabbit shot back.

"At least **I** show the world the demon I really am. Some graduates."

The rabbit only shook its head and walked a few steps back. Hadn't Threetails comprehended even in the slightest bit who she wished a challenge from? Nobody talked that way about the next biggest fad to hit Townsville in ages. The stuffed pink lagomorph reclined against the nearest dumpster not yet consider her a noteworthy threat. "Threetails, Threetails. You just gotta keep persistin' until yer right, don'tcha? Truth is, I'm not in the mood for wastin' time fightin' you. Now why don't you about face and get lost."

Instead, Threetails incinerated via eye lasers every poster and newspaper in sight that made the slightest mention of the group. "Ooh, toasted," a follower noted, "That can't be good."

But the rabbit – peeved off and teeth gritting – was in no mood for wisecracks. "The scaredy-pants canned our mugs. Now she's gonna get it." It then felt amused and started chuckling. "Then she flew the coop! Top-ranking indeed! She can talk the talk but not walk the walk!"

Laughter spread throughout until Threetails' reappearance changed the mood all over again. "You were saying?" she retorted.

"Don't worry, boss!" the giraffe offered, "I'm on it!" All stood back cheering the underling in question as it fought an apathetic Threetails. They exchanged measly blows for twenty seconds until the taller one injected her venom into the giraffe's knee, rendering it comatose. Next came lip-pursing preceding a vacuuming action, providing Threetails' second meal to which she glowed gray. Had she hidden her true strength the whole time? Popular thought drifted more towards the stuffed ungulate's lack of battle experience. Stronger animals would finish Threetails off no problem. Eleven more opponents each slightly stronger than the previous stepped into the fray, and she absorbed them bone and Boogie Man knew where this headed and could deny it no longer.

"That's enough," the rabbit decided, unable to deny it any longer, "Together! Let's crush her together!" At once, the entire alley turned into a wrestling arena. Threetails still fought well despite the odds. Absorbing twelve relatively weak stuffed animals gave her somewhat of an edge than what might've happened otherwise. She couldn't hide her fatigue, however, and the tide turned constantly on her. Did non-participants hear anything? If so, they just dismissed it as a dream.

"Hah!" an animal declared, "She's weakening!" Putting up a temporary shield, Threetails pointed her head toward the sky and made the fourteenth absorption of her life. Every single possessed toy within that space became part of her, with the pink rabbit coming last. A larger gray luminescence than before compensated for the now empty space region and faded just as quickly.

Threetails blinked her restored right eye twice and flexed her once-missing limbs. Words couldn't describe how good the experience felt. "Much better. Now this negative energy will be put to good use." She looked at the unfolded paper which somehow escaped destruction before. "The African Piquant, huh? Pity." Laser vision reduced it to more ashes, and Threetails teleported away.

Back at the hideout under the black lake, a flash woke the ITG up from slumber. Tuesday lay in the middle with Penny on her right (clutching a stuffed pineapple similar to Octi) and Azalea on her left. Nightgowns and a three-striped blanket naturally matched their respective colors. "What's that sound?" Penny asked.

"I don't know," Tuesday said.

"Maybe someone broke in," Azalea suggested, "Good. Now I can fight 'em for real instead of just dreaming it."

"The mistress is nobody's fool. She did take special precautionary measures. Maybe she's got an experiment going on."

"Wake up, Intrepatuffs," came Threetails' voice from behind the door, "I got something to show you."

"Coming!" the girls chorused, floating out into a more lighted room. What they saw gave way to admiration.

"Why, Mistress," Tuesday spoke, "You're back to normal."

"Pretty much. Bow before the newly reborn Threetails."

Whereas Azalea and Tuesday immediately obeyed, Penny took a little longer by first standing her pineapple toy up straight. "C'mon, Quill. Time to bow." It flopped on its face. "Uh, I guess that works." Penny bowed too.

Next day, the Pokey Oaks kindergarten class took another field trip to the Townsville Museum of Natural History. Ms. Keane so happened to educate her students about Central and Southern African history, and the museum boasted better stocked resources than the school. Whoever inspired such a notion, be it the new mischief makers in town or a new exhibit, the kids were all over it like maple syrup. Entering a room plumb full of animal furs, bone instruments, stone knives and spears, old ritual masks, some peculiar diamond in the very middle, and so forth felt like a trip back in time and an overseas vacation combined. Everyone gathered around the gemstone as a guide explained it. "What we have here is a diamond known to the world as the African Piquant, formed from two thousand years' worth of compression."

"Ohhhh," the class spoke in awe.

"Archaeologists found it near the city of Hotazel in South Africa from the very spot that geyser erupted at months ago. Legend states that it contains a special wishing power which only the most special individuals at heart can unlock."

"So it makes a tempting target for crooks," Buttercup stated.

"Hmm…" Blossom wondered.

"A wishing diamond?" Bubbles commented, "I never heard of it."

"Well, you have now," the guide continued, "Good or evil, it'll grant the holder anything they wish for."

"Really? Like a fuzzy elephant?"

"Yes, indeed. Or even world domination. Of course, it also requires a special chant forever lost in the sands of time and Africa. And that's all I have to say."

"Awww," the class whined.

"Let's move along, shall we?" They all strolled farther along towards some wooden figurines, with Blossom momentarily glancing back at the diamond. "There's this collection of Fulani children's toys I simply must show you. My personal favorite bunch in the entire hall." Suddenly, an explosion outside rocked everything. Kids and adults kneltdown while covering their heads. Exhibits shook but remained intact.

"Figures," Buttercup huffed, "Duty calls.

"Uh, Ms. Keane?" Blossom said, requesting approval.

"Don't just stand there!" came the answer, "Get going, but don't break anything!"

"We're on it!" the girls chanted. Amazingly, unlike their previous visits to the museum, they actually complied to that last command. Smooth flight broke nothing and provided sufficient speed back outside. More explosions led them behind some buildings across the street, but neither culprit nor damage was present. Some tiny sound recorder nudged in a sidewalk crack made it no easier solving this mystery.

"Whaddaya know," Bubbles said, pulling it out. It had all the standard buttons: rewind, fast-forward, play, record, pause and eject. Pushing play brought back the same explosion. The blond pressed it five more times and got a laugh at everyone else's expense until Buttercup snatched the device.

"Do you mind?"

"Lemme see that a moment," Blossom requested, snatching it and making inspections. "Huh. Looks ahead of its time. Where'd they get…?"

"Help!" someone at the museum cried, "The African Piquant has been stolen!" After abruptly smashing the recorder, the girls took off back towards the other side just in time to catch a shadow slink around various hiding spots.

"Hold it right there!" the girls demanded. But for every spot they searched, it always disappeared in seconds flat. This continued for three more blocks and ended with the shadow hiding inside a carefully disguised rooftop closet. The girls hovered around what they assumed a big box of electrical equipment before moving on. Making sure they left completely, the shadow stepped back out and revealed itself as a relieved Sedusa. Until today, she'd been hiding in wait for her hair to grow back after the girls and Ms. Bellum cut it up. Now the African Piquant would serve up the best vengeance ever.

Sedusa withdrew the diamond from a handbag to admire proudly, the latter of which she tossed aside. "At last, the world – no, universe – is all mine. And I'll start by giving those brats and that slick Bellum eternal suffering for chopping my hair. Good thing I memorized the magic chant. Umm, let's see…Gr-gr-groot…Groot juweel…"

"Not so fast, Sedusa!" the PPG announced. Shocked at the sight, the gorgon-wannabe all but dropped the jewel.

"Wha…? You split the scene!"

"You're losing yer touch," Blossom said, "We made you think we left. Now hand over that diamond and avoid any unnecessary skin shed."

"Shed this!" And while the girls handled the bothersome mass of tentacled hair, Sedusa went about multitasking. "Let's try again. Groot juweel…wait a second…groot ju-ju…oop!" A tripping from Buttercup may have stopped the villain short, but it also sent the diamond flying over the ledge. It landed in a hand belonging to one of the worst creeps of all: Mojo Jojo.

"Oops!" Buttercup realized, "My bad!"

"We'll deal with Sedusa later!" Blossom announced, "Get the monkey!" And they left the former holding the bag.

"Mwahahahahahahahah!" Mojo declared, running back to his observatory, "The African Piquant is all mine! It landed in my paw and is no longer in anyone else's possession, so it's fair game and now belongs to me! **I** will wish for whatever **I** want! **I** was destined to harness its potential, and harnessing the potential is what I'll do since it's my goal! **I** was born to rule! Ruling is what I was born to do!"

"Oh, no, you don't!" Buttercup retorted, "That's going back to the museum where it belongs!"

Mojo responded by taking out his trademark laser cannon and firing behind him while keeping a steady grip on the double-stolen booty. The walk became an obstacle course of exchanged laser blasts. Some cancelled each other out. Others missed heroes and villains rather cleanly. Now it was the monkey's turn to multitask. "Hahahahahahah! Did I mention I too know other languages? Groot juweel die sand asseblief hoor my versoek!" Unfortunately, a quick banjo slam in the face interrupted Mojo's escapade. The girls couldn't reach Fuzzy Lumkins quickly enough before he grabbed the flying diamond and ran on. They chased him down an alleyway without any more lasers.

"Haw haw! The gemstone's mine now! Ain't no city slickers gonna give me a tough time once ah'm runnin' th'joint!"

"This is getting stupid," Blossom commented.

"Okay, how does that there chant go 'gain? Groove jewel…uh…somethin'…whoop!" Fuzzy slipped on a mess of marbles set up right outside the alley, and the gemstone went flying again. The Gangrene Gang, responsible for the mess, ran around in circles on the street to catch it.

"Dah, Billy got diamond!" Big Billy said, "Billy got diamond!"

"No, **I** got it!" Arturo argued, followed by a raspberry from Grubber.

"Me! Me!" Ace and Snake chanted, smacking into each other. The girls reached the scene as only two feet of height existed between Billy's cupped hands and the object in question. But just when they thought it couldn't get worse, a red fog swiped it from the air. The trio stopped only millimeters from the heavyset boy's belly to watch Him materialize.

"Thank you very much, dear children. All mine."

"It is not!" came a growling voice. Having recovered from the last blow, Mojo Jojo avoided the marbles as he stepped around Fuzzy up in front of Him. "I saw the African Piquant first! That is, it blew across my eyes before it blew across the eyes of others! If not, then I wouldn't be making my claims right now! But since it did, I am making my claims right now! Like me, it holds the strongest power in all of existence! And because of that, it belongs in my hands!"

"What're you blabbing about?" Sedusa countered, hopping off a building, "**I** stole it first! It belongs to me!"

"Not even!" Ace chimed, "It's high time the Gangrene Gang stepped up in the world. We're knockin' you's all off yer pedestals."

"Y'all couldn't even hit th'broad side o' mah truck!" Fuzzy said, standing back up, "Ah should rule!"

"You're all wrong." That announcement came from Bossman of the Amoeba Boys, strolling along with Slim and Tiny naturally on either side. "Townsville deserves some rulers really worthy of its time."

"Real rulers!" Tiny repeated, "Real rulers!"

"Yeah, real rulers!" Slim put in.

"Shut up, you mugs. As I was saying, that diamond belongs to the greatest criminals of all time: us! Yeah, you heard us right! The Amoeba Boys are taking over!"

Gut-busting laughter filled the section while the dimwitted protozoa looked confused. The PPG would've also found the situation amusing if it hadn't been so dire. And why didn't Him teleport away already? Had his brain somehow short-circuited? Or did pride dominate? Laughter made the diamond slip out of his claw with only the heroes and amoebas watching. The girls immediately zipped for it but missed again when a more common criminal took it for herself.

"Hey!" Snake said. With more evildoers pouring along, the lot soon looked just the way the Boogie Man's lounge did the previous night. Commotion constantly switched between physical assaults and grabbing that slippery gemstone. The heroes got nowhere close to ending the whole thing. Every time they beat back one evildoer, three more took his or her place.

"There's too many of them!" Blossom said.

"What're we gonna do?" Buttercup cried.

"Groot juweel die sand asseblief hoor my versoek!" an effeminate male voice echoed. All momentum halted with everyone staring towards the sky and the girls held still. Floating tall, Him had finally caught hold of the jewel once again and prepared to make his wish. Fear of what he had in mind paralyzed all from intercepting. "Aangee ek watter **WIE MY VERLANG BESTE! **And I wish to **RULE THE WORLD!"** Him smirked ever victoriously while everybody down below covered their heads awaiting the Apocalypse. But it never came. The girls and their other enemies stood up wondering.

"Hey," Bubbles said, "Nothing's happening."

"**WHAT?"** Him screamed, "**THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT! I ****AM** **A SPECIAL INDIVIDUAL AT HEART! MY WISH SHOULD'VE COME TRUE!"**

"Hah!" Bossman unwittingly smirked, "You isn't special enough! Now hand it over, sucker!" That's when a blue glow covered villains and diamond alike. All evildoers clumped together a foot or so above the street while the jewel landed underneath Threetails' right foot.

"What'ssssssssss goin' on?" Snake said, "And who'ssssssssss that ruining our big chance?"

"Why, it's Threetails!" Him recognized.

"How do you know?" Mojo asked.

"We went to the same high school together. But I've heard nothing of her since some little girl trapped her underneath the African sands."

"Nice to be remembered," Threetails dryly spoke, "Too bad none of you will live to see my picture in the encyclopedias."

"You put us down this instant!" Sedusa demanded, "You're ruining our big chance!"

"Townsville is my turf now. If you washed-up boneheads knew what was good for ya, you'd get lost ASAP."

"Whaddaya mean your turf?" Ace retorted, "We saw this town first!"

"Si!" Arturo added, "You should get lost!"

"So be it." Threetails gripped her fist hard, squeezing the life out of her victims as if they'd all been stricken with a heart attack. The heroes pondered the new face in town alongside how they'd get the jewel back. Helping the other villains didn't seem to register with their minds.

"Think she's a new enemy?" Buttercup wondered.

"Yeah, I can see it in her eyes," Blossom said, "Though, let's worry about the African Piquant first. We can deal with her after we return it to the museum." But a familiar ribbon of brown energy held them in place without the electrocution. Struggling obviously proved futile. "Eergh! What in the world?"

"Who did this?" Bubbles said.

"Take a wild guess," Buttercup stated. All eyes followed the ribbon's path up to Azalea's arm, with Tuesday and Penny hovering on either side.

"The Intrepatuff Girls," the Powerpuffs resignedly chorused.

"Precisely," Tuesday answered, "You three will not interfere in the mistress' affairs."

"That scorpion thing is yer mistress?" Blossom said.

"Okay, okay!" Fuzzy yelled, "Y'all win the brawl!" Acknowledging, Threetails stopped squeezing and dropped them on the ground.

"I kept my end of the deal. Now you all do the same."

"Sure thing," Sedusa replied, "We're leaving, alright."

"But be warned, we will return!" Mojo said, and all but the Amoeba Boys retreated home.

"You too, Intrepatuffs," Threetails ordered. A snap of her fingers sent the trio away as well, thereby dispersing the Powerpuffs' confinement.

"Hey, what happened?" Skinny asked.

"I think we missed the action," Tiny answered.

"Gee, what was yer first clue?" Threetails retorted, reducing them to dust with her laser vision. "Stupid stooges. Who would want protists anyway?"

"Hey!" Blossom yelled, "What's the idea? What kind of a cruel nut are you?"

Threetails faced them. "The best kind in existence. My name is Threetails."

"I believe ya," Buttercup said, "Now how 'bout handing the African Piquant over before we wail on ya?"

"Why don't you come and get it instead." The PPG were only happy to accept the challenge but got thrown for a loop via electricity from Threetails' fingertips. She then shocked them by crushing the jewel into dust. A crunching sound seemed to echo throughout the entire country if not the planet. Everyone within city limits felt like someone died.

"You…you…" Bubbles stammered.

"How dumb can Townsville's so-called threats get? Even I'm smart enough to know that the legend behind the supposed African Piquant was just a load of bunk. But let's get down to the point, okay?"

"Fine," Blossom decided, she and her sisters levitating just a bit closer, "We were just about to request you explain yourself anyhow."

"By all means. Like I said, my name is Threetails. I was once the most powerful creature in what you mortals now call South Africa. I lived on an island plumb full of countless riches which countless mortals coveted. Of course, my present appearance is pretty different from what I looked like back then, but that hardly matters. Anyways, a little girl found the necessary courage to stand up against me and swiftly lodge an opal into my chest. In conclusion, she literally ripped me limb from limb before tossing me into a fissure on my estate."

"An island?" Bubbles said.

"Yes, an island. Back then, a huge lake stretched for a few miles in the northwestern corner where my island once stood. It's long since dried up into a new section of the Kalahari Desert. Sand now fills both it and the fissure."

By now, Blossom got a new idea in her head. "Hold on. You mean like the story of the two brothers and that wishing stone? Though, I didn't find any fight sequence there, and the evil brother got buried by the world's supply of salt."

"That's only a pathetic story, I'm the real deal. Are we finished talking yet, or can I beat your mortal skulls into Mt. Kilimanjaro?"

"Say no more!" Buttercup announced, making way to a new fight. Both sides showed off all their powers. Eye lasers matched each other evenly. Powerpuffs and demon exchanged physical blows every which way. Threetails extended her scorpion tails like spears but missed and instead jabbed new holes in the pavement. Flying tail barbs got chunked into whatever nonliving material they met first or simply blasted; recalling scorpion physiology, the girls dared not touch them. A blob of black acidic venom created a new pothole, which Buttercup and Blossom studied. "Whoa."

"She could melt adamantine steel with that stuff," Blossom agreed.

"Look out!" Bubbles called, moving them out of harm's way. A solitary tail missed Buttercup's hip, wound away from a building's door, and injected a nearby tree. Threetails allowed the girls to watch as she retracted all three abnormal limbs. The tree turned black, bubbled from a woodpecker hole, and melted into a puddle that left no trace upon evaporation. "What is that stuff?"

"A type of acid," Blossom answered. Dodging all three scorpion tails once again instigated a second wrestling match. All three 'puffs at one point triangulated to trap Threetails with ice, sound, and green energy. But she shrugged it off via shockwaves that sent them tumbling for a moment. No matter what, she just couldn't inject the heroes; they moved too quickly! Whereas Blossom and Bubbles weren't very convincing, Buttercup found herself actually enjoying the fight. Not counting other creatures like themselves, never had they met an opponent so true both physically and mentally. Him merely toyed with their heads. Mojo certainly poured on raw force. But despite little information, the PPG knew Threetails exuded a decent balance of body and mind; almost a fusion of the two said villains. Buttercup may as well have related her to Shadow Thing.

It wasn't long until both sides retreated to catch their breath. "You've been practicing well," Threetails admitted, "I admire your technique."

"Yeah, you ain't so bad yourself," Buttercup agreed.

"Oh, drop the flattery, Threetails," Blossom said, "You're clearly outmatched. The Powerpuff Girls cannot lose."

"Not yet anyway. I could destroy you right now, but I'm choosing not to."

Actually, Blossom's claim stood out best. Threetails really couldn't keep it up any longer, though she didn't want to give the redhead the satisfaction. It seems only Bubbles noticed the hidden fatigue. "You mean you're just a big baby."

"Wrong as usual," Threetails retorted.

"Yeah, right," Buttercup added, noticing the same, "Get outta Townsville or we'll break you in two."

"Not that your threats mean much. Very well then. I only wanted to sample your true potency up close anyhow. Just keep in mind that this isn't over." Threetails teleported away, leaving behind a dazed triumvirate.

"Glad that's over," Blossom commented.

"No, she said she'd come back," Bubbles said, "And what about the African Piquant?"

All six eyes glanced toward the fine carbon powder once in confined arrangement. "Go figure," Buttercup sighed, "Now what?"

"There's nothing more we can do," Blossom calmly concluded, "Let's just get back to the field trip." And that was that. The downcast PPG slowly flew back to the museum, depressed and suspicious at the same time.

The End


	6. Up In The Muck

Now the stage was set. Threetails had established her reputation well through secret consumption of other demons, having her own X-creations close by, traumatizing three humans, telling other villains off, and even facing the Powerpuff Girls herself. The heroes knew an overwhelming opponent when they faced one; Threetails already stated her worthiness as the world's most powerful creature. Move over, Mojo Jojo! Hit the road, Him! So why the delay? Just what was she up to? Maybe Bubbles might find an answer near a certain murky lake. No one dared go near up until now. Government and construction officials even built roads to bypass the surrounding dead vegetation.

Taking care not to touch the deadly water, Bubbles hovered above with her feet only inches away. Each girl took up scouting missions that day in different sections inside a 5-mile radius of Townsville. Finding a big stick somewhere only a minute ago, the blond figured it might somehow be useful but didn't know what for until now. "Yecch. Nasty." Indeed, the water looked anything but inviting. Drawing from what anyone last remembered, it had grown viscous enough to take on the consistency of tar…no, it was tar. Grainy foam increased its absurd appearance. "Yipes!" Bubbles barely dodged some jumpy globules. "I better get this over with." She inserted half of the stick and withdrew a coating of the material. Fizzing, it ate through the wood like nothing; the stick split apart as the dunked end splattered in. A drop landed on Bubbles' left ankle and melted a hole through her stocking but thankfully not her leg. "Uh oh."

Vigor rang high back at the Utonium residence due to a carnival in town. Buttercup and Blossom had long since finished their patrols. And truthfully, who wouldn't love a mighty event composed of rides, games, and all that stuff, other than the local grouches? Still, while Buttercup helped Prof. Utonium clean up, Blossom contended herself at the table with paper and pencil. "I can't wait!" the brunette declared.

"Can't wait for what?" the redhead asked.

"Haven't you heard? There's a carnival down at Bonsai Gardens Park today."

"No. I didn't patrol that section."

"Oh yeah. Sorry."

"Besides, we haven't got any time. We should spend today planning and training."

"Aw, c'mon, Blossom. We've been training hard enough as it is for four days straight, and we need a break."

"Yes, but we must also be ready in case Threetails or the Intrepatuff Girls try attacking again. They're no Mojo clones."

"There you go turning back to your old self again, Blossom. I just said we've been training for four straight days. We don't get a chance like this to do things out on the town as a regular family very often. And don't you remember what happened the last time you stressed yourself hard?"

"Well…" Blossom couldn't disguise her flinching right eye. "Oh, alright. I guess my brain and muscles need a rest."

Buttercup placed a mitt on her shoulder. "This'll be great, don't worry. If anyone does attack, it'll give us the chance to test ourselves."

"Eh, since you put it that way, how can I argue? But let's wait for Bubbles first."

"No need!" came the said 'puff's voice as she immediately floated into the kitchen.

"Where have you been?" Buttercup asked, her eyes then darting at the hole in her sister's clothing, "And what happened to yer stocking?"

"Black stuff from that lake ate out a little hole. And, it's gotten thick as oatmeal."

"Threetails' hideout," Blossom deduced, "Did you find anything useful inside or around?"

"Nope. You should've seen what happened when I dipped a stick in that stuff. It melted it like acid. It would've eaten me if I went for a swim." Even if acid couldn't kill the girls, the lake's contents were stronger.

"Find any hidden doors?" Buttercup asked.

"Umm…no."

"C'mon, girls!" the professor coached, "Those corn dogs won't wait!" And without another thought, the girls dropped the subject and headed towards the family van. Of course, Bubbles had to first get on a new stocking.

Bonsai Gardens Park felt alive for the first time in what seemed like eons. After the fish balloon incident, top authoritarian forces had it quarantined until all signs of mutated life had been removed. Few dared visit even for half a minute despite reassurances of safety. Though, anxiety died down, and now everyone had themselves an enjoyable time for this carnival. But why here? Why not the main park containing Mt. Volcanotop? Instead of safety ordeals, holding the carnival there didn't feel as satisfying for some unknown reason. Upon obtaining tickets and a map, the Utonium family wondered what to do first. "Now that we're here, what next?" Bubbles asked.

"Don't know about you girls, but I thought I'd just walk around and browse," the professor said.

"Sounds like a plan," Blossom shrugged. So they did just that, not yet finding anything of interest. Still, at least it helped them learn their way around. Food stands dotted the area, but nobody felt hungry. No one really needed any new stuffed animals (in a whisper, Bubbles noticed a blue dolphin with a tuft of yellow hair which reminded her of Boomer). Being rather small, the park didn't contain many rides. There was a middle-sized rollercoaster; three different Ferris wheels; a spinning, floor-dropping ride; a mirror hall; and two inflatable rides the family ignored. Gaming stalls dotted the rest of the scene. In fact, it was so crowded that they didn't notice the same lake once containing those fish balloons.

"Hey, wait a minute," Buttercup finally decided, "What about that ride?" Before the quartet knew it, they stood directly in front of the floor-dropping ride. Even though they'd seen, encountered, and endured several amazing and shocking things in their lives, this caught the girls off-guard.

"Wow!" Blossom exclaimed, "I've never ridden that before!"

"Me neither!" Bubbles agreed, "Can we, Professor?"

"I'm not sure," he replied, barely avoiding some strange puddle, "You may be superheroes, but you're still pretty young. Think you can handle it?"

"Oh, Professor," Buttercup said, rolling her eyes, "We've already been through this. If we can handle the toughest monsters and training simulations, then this ride will be easy pickings. Why, we're even the right height."

"Hey," Bubbles pointed out, "You made a rhyme."

"Er…okay." So they strolled up to the nearest ticket booth and purchased three rolls of fifteen each. Afterward, the girls noticed their father figure heading off in another direction.

"Where you going?" Blossom asked.

"The yo-yo competition. You kids go enjoy yourselves and meet me there in 7 minutes, alright?"

"Will do, Professor!" they called back.

Not everyone enjoyed the day's festivities, naturally. But it seems only one grouchy individual responded more energetically: the Sandman. While Bubbles made the first trek around Threetails' lake, the supposed being responsible for putting people to sleep cracked the fear barrier further and deemed the locale perfect for sulking. Even after the girls invaded his dreams and dealt him a hard emotional blow, the poor sap still felt cheated. Maybe he needed not misbehave like that, but were the heroes themselves truly any more justified? He just wanted some sleep; was that a crime? The Sandman continued his work without encountering them again in fear of more bad memories, until more and more people disbelieved his existence. Now he stood on the fringe of unemployment. "Huh. A landscape devoid of life, neither healthy plant nor animal in it. That's just the way **I** feel at this very minute." He strolled on up to the shoreline and eyed the tar-like material with calm disgust. "Yecch. There's only one creature I know who could make this kind of gloom. Threetails has returned, and now the world faces certain doom. Hmm…oop!" A slight tremor nearly knocked him off his feet.

Down below, Azalea faced countless monsters and disasters with determination. "Let's dance." Of course, it was only a fighting simulator modeled after that which Prof. Utonium designed. The 'tuff had three practice rounds for the day and was now on her second. Threetails had programmed thirty levels of difficulty into it and subjected her X-creations to the best possible training so they'd remain one step ahead of the PPG. Despite never being allowed out for something more amusing like the carnival, that's not to say she didn't permit resting sessions.

"She's really zipping through," Tuesday noted, "And only on the first try."

"I'll say," Threetails agreed, her head turning towards Penny. To the demon's disgust, the silver 'tuff had taken her pineapple toy Quill along for training. "And what do you think you're doing?"

"Hm? What?"

"I don't recall inviting that pineapple for the ride."

"Oh, you mean Quill. I just thought she might want to watch Azalea and Tuesday, just for something to do."

"Very cute. Now put her back in yer bedroom, and then return here. You're next in the simulation."

"But what if she gets lonely?"

"Penny, don't argue with the mistress," Tuesday ordered, "Put Quill back." A sighing Penny did as she was told. While Tuesday continued watching Azalea train, Threetails continued wearing a disgusted expression until what happened next relaxed her nerves. Although the simulation was fake, it emitted real shockwaves from the brown 'tuff's intense training. One larger tremor after another inspired a chain reaction on the surface restricted only to the lake. Dirt, pebbles, dry plant matter, tar globules, and the Sandman bounced about.

"Whoa, what a rush! Whoever's causing earthquakes better hush!" Then a black tsunami towered overhead. "Uh oh, gotta go!" Disappearing, the Sandman barely escaped as it splashed down. It practically gobbled much living and dead vegetation alike before retreating. From the air, the blue sprite saw a parabola extending over the hideout's physical entrance, but that didn't compare to what came next. Be it unseen radiation or heavy momentum, something did the trick. The tar swirled, wiggled, and just moved back and forth in general. "Uh, okay…"

Only a crater remained as the entire lake's contents jutted upward into a gargantuan, featureless human form. The Sandman made out a muscle-bound torso, legs, and arms; three curved projections much like what Threetails had on her back; scorpion claws; three toes on each foot; and something like a round protruding mouth of sharp teeth bordered by pincers on the sides. Its roar sounded more like a choking infant. "Rrrrrraaaaaaaagggggghhhhh!"

"Mm, mm," the Sandman commented, "I don't like the sound of that." Paying him no heed, the entity instinctively stomped towards Townsville with an uncoordinated trail of destruction. "And it ain't visiting Townsville for a simple chat." At once, something snapped inside his head as he zoomed towards the entity in hopes of actually stopping it. So what if he felt wronged by everybody around? Would letting this abomination run free make things better? Nope. Like many others, the Sandman also knew what kind of bad news Threetails was. "Hold up, monster, stop right there! Destroy Townsville, don't you dare!"

"Rahh?" It looked up in annoyance as he pulled out an hourglass-shaped vial.

"Yes indeed, you better be scared! This batch of sand, for you I've prepared!" In response, the entity raised its claws as it unleashed tar streamers from its chest and back. The Sandman couldn't dodge quickly enough before one hit and glued him to the ground, hardening upon impact. But another shattered the vial loosened from his grip, dumping the sand on the monster and creating painful foam on its head.

"Rrrrrraaaaaarrrrr!" it cried. Though, the reaction lasted only ten seconds before it recovered and moved on.

"Unh! It works like a charm, the thing hates that grainy feel!" the Sandman grunted, struggling to break free. Seeing the entity block part of the city skyline turned the wheels in his head. And for the umpteenth time, he couldn't say how much he enjoyed smirking once again, followed by a whisper. "Guess I discovered more than just an Achilles heel."

"Are you three okay?" the professor queried, a bit worried at the PPG's woozy condition. Seven minutes had long since passed by back at the carnival, and the Utonium family regrouped at the oncoming yo-yo competition as planned.

"Never better," Buttercup answered, "Just what we all needed."

"Sure you won't need medicine?"

"We'll be fine," Blossom assured, "Let's watch the competition now." Two 13-year old girls – the participants – entered a makeshift ring once the watching crowd increased to 20. An announcer stood in the center and explained the ordeal as loud as he could.

"Thank you all for gathering. Now, these girls have three yo-yo techniques to demonstrate. You guessed it: The first one to gets each one right wins the contest. First up is 'walking the dog'. And, begin!" Both competitors moved their yo-yos back and forth with no trouble, although their focused expressions suggested otherwise. All viewers kept respectfully quiet. Even Buttercup didn't feel jealous.

"Why're they so nervous?" Bubbles wondered, "They're doing very good."

"Yeah, but it takes lots of practice to keep it right," Buttercup whispered back, "They can't let anything disturb them."

Five more seconds passed before the announcer found the right moment to proceed further. "Our girls are evenly matched. But let's just see how long they can keep it up. Next technique, 'around the world'. Go!" Again, the contestants both performed nicely what with whirling those toys in perfect arcs.

"They've certainly been practicing," the professor commented.

Then came one last trick. "Final technique, 'rocking the cradle'," the announcer concluded, "Go for it!" But an explosion on the other side of town interrupted all festivities, barring all hopes of deciding a winner. The downtown section remained static until rumblings filled the scene. Soon enough, a shadow loomed over the main roadway. People looked up in shock at the tar-based entity and did what came naturally: screaming and running for dear life. Once more, this monster didn't follow the usual destruction routine. It just trudged along as if following a star, and the same streamers came out only when tanks, jets, and missile launchers opened fire. Some ammunition exploded upon contact while others delayed until the tar glued them down on nearby surfaces.

"Pull back!" an army general ordered, "We're no match for it!" That's when the PPG made the scene.

"Stop right there!" they demanded. Be it their voices or very presence, the entity actually complied. Its eyeless head pointed up as if staring them head-on.

"Well, it's listening to us," Blossom said, "Now we can see just how much we've improved back home."

"Question is, who or what is this thing?" Buttercup wondered, "Did Threetails transform, or did she make something from scratch?"

"Must be the second one," Bubbles guessed, "It smells like the black stuff that melted a hole in my stocking. I think it's even made of that stuff."

"Rrrraaaaaagh!" For the third time, the entity ejected its streamers in hopes of either trapping or just destroying the heroes; not that it cared either way. Arms, legs, and tails lunged forward but also missed. Although it couldn't inject venom, the PPG didn't want to take a chance physically touching the entity in case it retained the same low pH level. When the right moment came, three sets of eye lasers boiled it until it exploded into billions of particles too small for human eyes to pick up. A brief skim across the urban landscape picked up no trace.

"Wow," Buttercup commented, "That was a lot quicker than we expected."

"Too quick," Blossom said, "Something's not right here. Why would that thing let itself go down so easily?"

"Maybe it was never really alive in the first place."

"Look!" Bubbles pointed out. A black spiral mass grew to skyscraper size, unveiling a reborn entity. More streamers filled the area and wiggled like tentacles. The PPG learned the hard way how the creature lost its acidity when one projection each temporarily nailed them on the pavement without sticking them. In the meantime, the Sandman watched it all from the outskirts in amusement.

"We're getting nowhere fast!" Buttercup cried.

"Triangulate!" Blossom ordered. Like that super monobot before it, the entity watched the girls take up different positions. New loops levitated it above the rooftops. Blossom's Ice Breath, Bubbles' Sonic Scream, and Buttercup's Energy Spheres created all sorts of nasty lacerations, though it didn't stop there. With copies keeping the tornado in play, the real girls used it as a target for their Starburst Ray. Of course, they needed act even quicker to prevent small destructive blasts from raining down on Townsville. Once again, the entity apparently no longer existed.

"Now is it gone?" Bubbles wondered.

"I'm not sure," Blossom answered, "Keep sharp." The trio stared down the main road, not looking behind them even once. Too bad they didn't catch the looming scorpion silhouette, or the entity wouldn't've caught them in its claws. "Unnhh! Unnh!"

"Eeerrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!" Bubbles grunted.

"You let us…go this instant!" Buttercup demanded. But the entity held the girls firm. And if they didn't know any better, they could almost swear it only grew tighter.

Meanwhile, the Sandman split a gut at having witnessed all of their vain attempts. Not once did the PPG consider sand a useful weapon, accidental or purposeful. None of their assaults included a single grain. Then again, the Sandman only discovered the beast's weakness by accident himself. His giggling session halted at the realization. "Aw, poo. Here I was enjoying myself at those brats' expense. Guess I better lend a helping hand before things get too tense." So he poofed over their heads, ignored by the entity. "Hello, girls, how are you? I see you got yourselves in a real stew."

"Not you again," Bubbles complained.

"Did you make this monster?" Buttercup asked.

"Don't blame me, I did nothing of the sort. This creature came from a crater-like fort. A black lake, if you will. All it can do is kill, kill, kill."

"Blame it on Threetails," Blossom commented.

"You're in a jam, to say the very least. Only **I** know how to quell the beast."

"And I'm desperate enough to believe you," Buttercup decided, "Okay, how do we beat it?"

"Hold up there, you think I'll just squeal? I can't tell anything until you've heard my deal."

"Fine," Blossom said, "Whaddaya want from us?"

"Nothing much, not a very big leap. All I ever wanted was a little sleep. You keep the thing distracted, and I'll go fetch my sand. Just don't forget our deal that we had planned."

"Oh, stop the stupid rhyming and go get it!" Bubbles demanded, "We can't breathe!"

"I shall indeed." The entity must've focused solely on literally crushing the PPG, for it took no heed of any of the following events: the Sandman disappearing, reappearing, and dumping a barrel of silicon dioxide in the triangular space between its tails. A painful flash made it lose hold of the girls, who joined the blue man in watch.

"Hey, it worked!" Buttercup declared.

"What'd I tell ya?" the Sandman said. Unfortunately, this action also seemed to give the entity more of a brain. Now it reverted back to monster roots via a true rampage down the street. Whereas the girls weren't pleased, the Sandman noticed something they did not.

"That only made it meaner!" Bubbles said, "What've you done?"

"Relax, girls, that's only a small taste. Just go get more sand, better make haste."

"We thought you'd have more," Blossom said.

"People no longer believe in me, so I threw the rest out. C'mon, hurry up, let's end this bout!" The Sandman rushed towards the monster yet again, making faces to get its attention and lure it back out of Townsville. Meanwhile, the girls flew all the way to Africa's Sahara Desert and picked up a sphere of sand as large as a dome. The Sandman could no longer do anything against the entity and so awaited his doom as it loomed down on him until the girls dumped their load on it, rendering it dead. But just to make sure, Blossom froze the whole thing into a pile which Bubbles tossed into the exosphere for Buttercup's smashing pleasure. Fortunately, the resulting pieces were too small to hurt even a fly.

Back in Townsville, the PPG and Sandman watched the proper officials make necessary repairs and just overall clean up the mess. Citysville's rivers now strayed away from that empty lake, never to fill it again. In fact, an ordinary patch of green had now replaced it all. Lack of tremors told surface dwellers Threetails and the ITG either finished their training or took it easy. "Gotta hand it to you, Sandman, you really came through," Blossom admitted.

"For your compliments, I am glad. But have you forgotten the deal we had?"

"I forget," Bubbles said, "What deal?"

The Sandman eyed her with an irked expression. "My sleep, of course."

"Done," Buttercup announced. She strolled up behind the Sandman, who eyed her suspiciously, and leaned in close. At the right moment, she then administered a slight neck blow.

"Thank you." He collapsed onto the brunette's chest, sound asleep. The PPG immediately transported him to the hospital, the only place where he'd be able to remain so. A well-set bed, heavy-duty earplugs, a little sign saying 'Do not disturb', and a guarding nurse made it all rather visually appealing.

"Aw, look at him," Bubbles complimented, "Sleeping like a baby."

"Yeah," Buttercup agreed.

"Don't worry," the nurse stated, "Mr. Sandman will be safe here. You can leave now."

"Think he'll beat every sleep record?" Bubbles wondered, "And whaddaya think he's dreaming of?"

"Let's not worry about that," Blossom coached, "We got a family outing on our hands right now. C'mon, let's go join the professor for lunch." A peaceful smile on the Sandman's face was the last thing the girls remembered seeing in that room before departing. Whatever he dreamt of, the nurse construed it as both welcoming and prophetic.

The End


	7. Finish Them Off

Amongst all the Powerpuff Girls' enemies, who truly stood a step above the rest? Was it Him, with his supernatural essence and overall bizarre appearance? Nope. Was it Fuzzy Lumkins, with his seething rage? Not a chance. How about Princess Morebucks, with her endurance and seemingly endless supply of funds? Of course not. That position belonged to none other than Mojo Jojo. Nearly everyone nominating him as worst enemy lacked better words. Several others – the Rowdyruff Boys, the Intrepatuff Girls, Sedusa, even a random child quartet – came closer to defeating the girls than the chimp ever could. Maybe his knack for conjuring up plans as well as machines in the blink of an eye, leading towards constant attacks, accounted for his hard-earned position. Him came a close second but couldn't quite measure up since he didn't attack as much. The RRB had lost it after turning good (not counting the bad ones). Princess was next, followed by Fuzzy Lumkins, Sedusa, and the Gangrene Gang in no particular order. Others ended up quickly forgotten upon being arrested, and monsters didn't really count. Townsville's government must've left patience out of the equation when ranking evildoers. What about Threetails and her Intrepatuffs? Due to newness, further information remained limited.

For now, everyone contended their worries elsewhere. Some short figure wearing a gray trench coat and matching fedora didn't attract much attention yet. Casually strolling towards some abandoned building undergoing renovation seemed average enough. Townsville saw various new fads in the wake of the RRB's repentance, some temporary and others bordering permanent. It turned out the possessed stuffed critters Threetails absorbed were the only batch manufactured thus far. Some believed they'd been stolen but couldn't trace any culprits. With that failure came the introduction of a new recycling center specializing in machinery intended to process wastes too hardy for current inventions. Word of it attracted the mysterious figure to this very building, the first test drive.

"Well, well." It was Mojo Jojo. He actually hadn't any interest in recycling centers or the stuff they contained, but he also remembered new establishments mean something big and overlooked. Shaking his head, the chimp immediately began searching while maintaining discreetness. Very little activity or much otherwise filled the main room due in part to the business' newfounded condition. A cubicle the size of two coat closets stood off to one corner. Litter from three machines already gave the hard floor that 'busy' look characteristic of most centers. After his eyes darted across the floor, Mojo sat down on a stool to catch his breath. "This is not good. If it were good, I would not be saddled with this trouble. But since I am saddled with it, I'm not having an amusing time. I cannot say how this place can help me with my latest scheme, but I can tell something I need for this plan is hidden around this place I am not too interested in. If I did not need…huh?" His pupils met something interesting near the leg of an overlooked contraption. Glee rang high once he picked up what appeared as a ruby shard for a closer look. "Yes. The very thing my latest and soon-to-be most successful plan to destroy the Powerpuff Girls requires is now in my grasp. And because it's in my grasp, my newest scheme will eliminate those brats and more in a surefire victory."

But an uninvited presence interrupted his little moment. "Y'know, I can't decide whether I like vanilla berry or pumpkin," a man's voice spoke.

"You should try strawberry banana," came a woman's voice. Workers entered the seemingly empty room with ice cream cones in hand. Feeling a strange air, they stopped short and inspected the scene momentarily before shrugging and heading back to work. They felt like someone had been around in their absence but dismissed it as another official. Mojo snuck out with ease, pondering his job on the way home.

"Such a wonderful little gold mine. But I just can't understand how some normal human being would throw away a precious jewel this easily. Rubies are a very valuable object. If they weren't valuable, they wouldn't need to be kept. They would need to be thrown away like real garbage. So why did they do it? How could a loser overlook something precious where the evil Mojo Jojo keeps it by his side where it belongs? How could it just wind up in a location where it shouldn't complete its trip?" Reaching the first crosswalk, Mojo just shrugged. "No matter. Now this potential value will be put to evil use. To utilize this essence is my goal. I will rule. I will be king. I will give commands…"

"Uh, buddy?" someone interrupted, pointing at a changed crossing light, "You're good to go now." Mojo just huffed and continued on.

Meanwhile, another band of evildoers plotted their own scheme near Townsville Hall: Sedusa and the Gangrene Gang. Having forgotten the previous spout with the African Piquant, Sedusa had begun training the gang in the art of committing daring robberies. She wanted revenge on the PPG and Ms. Bellum for cutting her hair despite it growing back. But why take in underlings? Well, Sedusa knew how low (but not too low) the Gangrene Gang ranked in Townsville's criminal hierarchy: They'd never been known for concocting anything higher than petty thefts. Their unimportance would serve as the perfect cover for this robbery. Besides, they were the first ones catching the gorgon wannabe's eye; they just melted all over the idea. "Okay, boys, it's time we tested your newfound skills."

"All for you, my queen," Ace acknowledged, "Lay it on us."

Sedusa turned her back towards them to inspect the outer scenery. Her next instructions miffed out a vacuuming sound. "Listen closely, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once. There's a certain spot where two walls meet. That's where you'll act first. Are you following along?" But only chirping birds, roaming cars, and footsteps from average human beings filled her ears. "Boys? Did you get that?" No response came. Miffed, Sedusa turned around to find herself shocked at staring down a glowing Threetails rather than the Gangrene Gang. "Threetails?"

"That's my name. Don't you dare wear it out."

The gorgon's head darted about for answers. "But…but…where's my lovely boy band?" A belch followed by a faded glow answered her question. "You…you…"

"And you're next." Sedusa went into a rage at that and lashed out with one hair whip at a time, each of which Threetails casually dodged. "Let me show you how a true scorpion strikes." All hairs combined into a single mass for yet another failed assault. The middle tail on Threetails' back met it head-on and broke the tips off in slow-motion. The hair then fell all limp.

"No," Sedusa stammered, "Not again!"

"Feeding time," Threetails concluded, pursing her lips. Sedusa grabbed onto one corner of the alleyway entrance, but she could not resist the force for very long. Her fingers eventually loosed, and the poor charlatan went flying down the demon's hatch. Threetails disappeared away before anyone caught her glowing again.

"Git offa mah property, varmint!" Fuzzy demanded. As it turns out, the pink fur ball finally found his desired concentration to play the banjo in his living room until Threetails appeared. Predictably, she planned to absorb him like she'd done several of her previous victims. So why the delay? Fuzzy was already boiling mad with red-orange fur and all. A simple punch sending him flying into an empty fireplace didn't do much. "Is that th'best you can do? And here ah thought you called yerself high and mighty."

"I'm just getting warmed up." Fuzzy came charging again, only to get knocked back into the fireplace again and crash out through the wall. He then recollected himself long enough to see Threetails hold his banjo.

"Jo? …JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Fuzzy's echoing scream would've tipped somebody off had Threetails not cast a supernatural barrier on the scene. She shattered it on her knee with only inches of space between them both; the shock sent him collapsing onto the floor. Fuzzy's rage reached its utter maximum at the loss, though he never got another chance to act before becoming a part of Threetails' permanent collection.

More enemies like Roach Coach and a certain hypnotic feline also suffered the same fate. Even later that day, Threetails stood within the National Trust Bank surrounded by Mojo, Him, Princess, and Fuzzy: the Beat Alls, as they so once labeled themselves. Huh? Did Princess finally get over her trauma? How could Fuzzy be standing here after Threetails just absorbed him today? For that matter, how'd the Beat Alls come back together after getting broken up? Answer: It was just a simulation fight. Threetails encountered a potential the former evil conglomerate never demonstrated in real life. Each fighter giving off various blows and blasts enhanced Threetails' stamina while creating quite a mess. The combined result from Mojo and Princess' blasters, Him's mouth ray, and Fuzzy's endless supply of boulders especially gave Threetails' eye lasers a good workout. They cut through the mega blast like butter and roasted the quartet, thereby concluding the simulation. "Mission completed," a mechanical voice said, the scene fading back into tiles.

Threetails sighed in satisfaction. "What a hassle." She stepped back into the control room, receiving congratulatory compliments from the ITG.

"You're good!" Azalea declared, "Seventeen seconds total. A new world record!"

"Yeah, you should've seen yourself!" Penny added, "A kick to the monkey's chest, hurling that lobster thing against the safe, tripping up the pink alien thing, smacking the little girl around, and the way your lasers met theirs…" But she stopped when Threetails held up a silencing hand. "Sorry, Mistress."

The ITG followed their superior into the living room. "The point is, I'm getting better as I go along."

"True," Tuesday agreed, "Those power stones you've hunted down on your own have done wonders." Regardless, the young trio hadn't any clue about their mistress' clandestine actions. She'd manipulated them into believing she went on private treasure hunts for power stones to regenerate her lost limbs and increase her power rather than spilling beans of attacks towards other villains. She never let the girls anywhere away from the grassy plain above should they find another information source. Threetails did these things as further precautionary yet unnecessary tactics to keep them in line.

"Indeed they have. For each stone I swallow, my energy comes closer towards its peak. Only then will I truly be the strongest creature alive."

"Um, I don't understand," Penny said, "Weren't you already?"

"I have to agree," Tuesday put in, "You even said so yourself. Did we miss a detail or two? Just curious, that's all."

"I never thought you'd ask. Yes, I did conceal some details from you until the right time."

"Would that be now?" a hopeful Azalea asked.

"Of course. I think you girls have improved enough to learn the full truth."

"Oh, goody!" Penny squealed, "Story time! Where's the popcorn?" She received three irked expressions before Threetails continued speaking.

"Like I was saying, I'm ready to tell you a little more about myself. To start off, what you see right now isn't my true form."

"It isn't?" Tuesday said.

"Nope. It's close but only a larval stage."

"Larval stage?"

Threetails paced around the room with the girls floating close behind. "I wasn't always thus. To answer this mystery requires one to answer why that girl lodged an opal into me rather than some other such gemstone as a ruby or pearl. Back in the day, I had an allergic reaction to opals. One fragment gave me a migraine headache, two fragments a weak stomach, but a whole stone would've weakened me if I didn't regurgitate it. Fate allowed the girl responsible for defeating me the right opportunity to find out and use it at my expense. Along with having my adult-like form degraded into this youthful one, paralyzed reflexes couldn't save me from getting mutilated the way you remembered me as."

"Yeah, I remember," Azalea admitted, "But, where do we fit in again?"

"After escaping my prison, I knew I'd need underlings to assist me in my conquest even with the power I'd regain. Using what little supernatural senses I had left, my trip led me to energy sources boasted by malicious figures nearby. After establishing a base here and patching into Townsville's electronic history files, I learned about its troubled history alongside highly recent events involving those called the Powerpuff Girls. But episodes of their masculine counterparts the Rowdyruff Boys sparked my imagination best. If a pair of lame mortal creatures could make something that great, why not me?"

"Hence our existence," Penny added.

"I was just getting to that. Going along with the girl formula, I substituted pineapple juice for everything nice. Finally, once I obtained a sufficient amount of Chemical X from dead Professor Dick in the remains of that 'abandoned evil factory', my seeds of loyalty bore fruit." The ITG puffed their chests happily. "Yes, you don't say."

"Sugar, spice, and pineapple juice," Tuesday recited, "And because we naturally favored certain letters, you let us choose our own names from complex yet simple name lists. Do continue."

"You girls already know what happened between then and now, so I'll get to the point. Like the caterpillar that becomes a chrysalis and hatches into either a butterfly or moth, I must do the same. My figure at present is analogous to an insect's larval stage even though I'm an arachnid. Still, with all my collected energy so far, not just any sources will trigger my metamorphosis."

"Does training help any?" Azalea wondered, "And have you found those sources yet?"

"Training helps me bring the concentration under control. However, once I transform, there will be no further need for it. And yes, I've located the first prime source within Mt. Volcanotop."

"Mojo Jojo's got a super power stone?" Tuesday said, "Why doesn't he just use it on himself?"

"Because he's Mojo. Anyways, it's time for your dinner." The rest of the time was pretty much history. Outside eyes would've widened at Threetails' capability for providing the ITG top-notch South African cuisine. No venom or other additives intoxicated the meal, seeing as how the demon exercised only the best out of her titan triumvirate. But she refused to leave until she was sure they went to bed and fell sound asleep.

"Finally," Mojo puffed, wiping his sweaty brow, "It's finished." A red-orange substance bubbled inside a cauldron heated by the volcano's lava. The chimp ogled the accomplishment with his greatest (and final) ease. "Yes! By melting down and mixing that ruby shard with Sedusa's special hair gel, remnants of the African Piquant, radioactive paste, and the cat-loving blob monster's genetic material, I've created the ultimate poison! So sticky, even the girls won't be immune! And by then, I will have destroyed them! Me! Mojo Jojo! And because I'll destroy them, they will no longer exist to stop me! I will rule everything!"

"Yeah, right," came a voice out of nowhere.

"Who dares enter the lair of Mojo and mock him? Who's dumb enough to step into my headquarters and make a retraction that makes fun of my speech?" In response, the cauldron turned black and crumbled into harmless dust. Mojo's eyes looked bloodshot as his pupils shrunk and his voice momentarily lowered. "All that hard work…all that effort…ruined…NOOOOOOOO! One more step and I would have…!"

"Failed as usual," Threetails interrupted, appearing before him. Again, another temporary supernatural barrier kept anyone outside from either hearing or seeing anything within.

"Threetails. I should have known a coward like you did this. Then again, there's Him, but still. How dare you trespass upon my observatory which I did not build for trespassing? If I gave you permission to visit, then I wouldn't be saying any of this. But since I didn't give you permission, you are clearly out of place. You do not belong here. You are not welcome. Now get out!"

The demon shook her head apathetically while pacing around the chimp. "Mojo Jojo. You really are a misunderstood creature, aren't you? I'm amazed the city's dumb populace hasn't given you an award for repetition by now. Then again, the concept here is fitting."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Life's full of surprises, isn't it? I know I'm surprised at how big a record of evil acts you've pulled off in such a relatively short amount of time. Few individuals exist who can imitate it. What do you call yourself again? The most evilest of evil minds? The most evil of all evil beings?"

The chimp pasted on a triumphant expression. "Well, now. You finally understand your superior, young lady. Yes. I, Mojo Jojo, am the most evil living thing to have unleashed the most evil of all evil deeds. No one else comes close! No one! No one else!"

"Is that a fact?"

"That's right!"

"Lemme skim through the list first: tricking the Powerpuff Girls into almost making monkeys dominate humans; overdosing yourself with Chemical X, thereby growing to gargantuan proportions; turning people into dogs; tricking Professor Utonium into helping construct a machine to give you superpowers; trapping a lone Bubbles; stealing the mayor's clothes; having unaware Powerpuffs sit in the direction of your 'Giganto-Destructo-Powerpuffo Ray'…"

"Why must you quote it like that? Is there something funny about my Giganto-Destructo-Powerpuffo Ray that instigates a humorous tone?"

"Don't interrupt, I'm on a roll. Oh yeah, creating the Rowdyruff Boys. That was a regular home run. Now let's see: some larger machine constructed from a crab and whatnot; giving Bubbles amnesia; wrecking a model supply store; literally punching holes in buildings with a tiny laser cannon, killing a few more people in the process; giving that Morebucks brat powers; using a dirty, ostracized child as a shield; unleashing a giant alligator; giving four children powers; sneaking into a Powerpuff sleepover; making use of an old woman's body; stealing the mayor's candy; destroying Utonium's heroic spirit; getting revenge on Buttercup after she smashed most of your pearly whites; banding together with three other villainous titans; going back in time to kill the professor; manipulating a slip-up from Blossom to dangle the professor over lava; using environazis as a shield; making the Powerpuffs think one of them wet the bed…" Threetails breathed in deeply. "Wow. I almost fainted from lack of breath."

By now, Mojo's pride faltered. "Yeah, yeah, I get the idea. I made a good number of accomplishments and already feel proud of that which I accomplished. What's this got to do with the perpetrated illusion you committed on purpose?"

"Have you ever heard of fate? Some define it as an event or course of events that will happen in the future. Others see it as one's overall condition in life. Could it be that you were fated to till an unbelievably large amount of negativity for me to harvest and use in a metamorphosis, even if you're no demon? I would think so."

"What are you talking about? What is this tommyrot of which you speak to Mojo about?"

Threetails ignored the question as she paused to look him over. "Such a rich concentration not expressed at its fullest. It's a shame watching it go to waste. No matter, I can fix that."

"Listen, I have absolutely no idea about the meaning to the sentences you speak. What have you come here for? What object did I steal from you unknowingly made you intrude to get it back into your possession once again?" Mojo then smirked. "And how exactly can I make it function to my specifications?"

"What **I** want is for you to relinquish to me your title as the Powerpuff Girls' worst enemy. How does that sound?"

Mojo Jojo's eyes went blank for a few seconds, his face twisting into a scowl bordering psychotic the next moment? Didn't Threetails understand what she said and to whom she said it? Yes. Her request was nothing more than a lie, inspiring the chimp's one reaction she wanted to see up close. Mojo's eyes glowed red and popped. "What…did…you…just…SAY?"

"You heard me right, Mojo Jojo. I am taking over your villainous rank. From this night forward, you are no longer the evilest being."

"YOU WILL EAT THOSE WORDS!" Sharp bottom incisors protruded once again. All but his cape and brain cap fell to the floor in shreds. Red skin replaced the green. Fur stood on end, and Mojo took on the appearance of a wild monkey for the third time in his unnatural existence. Threetails actually regarded those white irises and red pinpoint pupils with more surprise than anything else; she never expected this reaction so soon. Then again, Mojo's absurd concern for his rank really eased the job, so why complain? That's right, you fool, she thought, Let it all out. First off, the scorpion demon allowed her feral opponent to lash out his hardest. Weapons, furniture, dishes, and the whole observatory in general got smashed up beyond repair. No amount of body slams satiated Mojo, and no beating would work for Threetails. He wanted her to suffer; she wanted his temper at its fiercest. The fight lasted well until 9 o'clock. Soon enough, the chimp got the demon into the desired position where he bent her lower leg back towards the knee. But he paid no attention to Threetails' contrasting calm look. "Say it! SAY IT!"

"Feeding time!" Finding the right second for absorption, Threetails sprouted claws and extended her arm behind to pierce Mojo's cap and brain. Gray light silhouetted them both as momentum ceased. After that, a blank-eyed chimp slid off her back like raindrops on a window. Threetails' fingers reverted to their usual form, and she stood back up to observe the furry cadaver. Since Mojo wasn't a demon, she'd gone for the next best thing: his soul. Unlike everyone else, however, his indwelling evil wouldn't last long and so required a different kind of amalgamation. Even Fuzzy's rage was tame in comparison. Threetails picked up the lifeless body by the brain to deliver apathetic commentary. "Tragic, wouldn't you say? The mighty Mojo Jojo, reduced to a corpse. And to think you could've used all the time in the world advancing ahead rather than waste it on oral repetition. Time more than just flies when you squander it on more than blowing your top or unwittingly turning yourself in." A moment of silence rang. "Oh well. That alien robot didn't comprehend the primal mind, but **I** can."

Simply leaving Mojo there wasn't enough for Threetails, either. Keeping the body safely in one hand, a finger tapping from the other not only hardened the lava but also made the vein itself retreat (at the same time harmlessly dissolving the equipment which the PPG attached miles below; the barrier disappeared automatically). Threetails melted the entire building down via lasers and venom, giving the former volcano a messy appearance before proceeding towards rocky terrain. She held the body high, took steady aim, dropped it, and returned home. His reign officially ended, Mojo Jojo didn't feel a thing upon hitting the spiky stones below.

"Anyone still thirsty?" Tuesday asked. Back at Threetails' hideout, the ITG had woken up only seconds ago stricken by thirst. The bathroom was a lot closer than the kitchen: located just to the right of their bedroom door. Before either sister answered the blond leader's question, a gray flash startled them to stare towards the crack.

"Uh oh," Azalea said, "The mistress is back, and there's no telling what she'll do if she finds us awake."

"But she's gotta understand how thirsty we were," Penny stammered, "She can't just slap us or something."

"Leave it to me," Tuesday ordered, "I'm the lead girl, so I'll do the talking." Their hearts nearly sank when they met a firm-standing Threetails in the eyes. Ignoring the strange electrical surges, Tuesday barely regained her composure. "Uh, Mistress Threetails…um, yeah, we're awake at such a late hour…it's not what you think, I can explain."

"You were thirsty," Threetails stated.

"Yes…no…um…"

"Knock it off, I already told you I see and know all."

"Of course. And you want us to go back to bed, so that's where we're headed right now. Good night."

"Stop right there."

The girls halted only centimeters away from their bedroom door. "Yes, Mistress?"

"This time, you have the honor of witnessing a change in action. Such will not occur again too soon."

"Change?" Azalea speculated, "You mean like that metamorphosis stuff you told us about earlier?"

"Is that why you're glowing funny?" Penny threw in.

"Yes times two." Threetails' arms and legs retreated into the torso as she floated. Her tails wrapped around from the groin on up to the neck, leaving only her face and forehead visible. A black glow converted the coils into an umbrella-like gray-purple shell resembling a large flowing dress. Within the hem stood a black void where the legs once belonged. Threetails' face swiped a smooth complexion for gray skin having cheek, chin, throat, and forehead exoskeletal armor accompanying pupil-less red-orange eyes. Two new, exoskeletal, gray-purple arms each six feet long and ending in sickle-shaped claws completed the metamorphosis. Much too tired for words, the ITG collapsed fast asleep before they could comment.

The End


	8. Dumb Memories

The plot had officially thickened that night. Townsville would wake up the next day for two of the most shocking sights ever: Mojo Jojo's impaled corpse and Mt. Volcanotop's new melted appearance. Suspense hadn't dominated yet since nobody other than the Intrepatuff Girls was awake to record it in a history book. And they'd fallen asleep right after Threetails went into a chrysalis. Speaking of the scorpion demon, her very presence only left her, her girls, and Him as Townsville's largest threats at present. Sedusa would no longer woo men to ill-gotten gains anymore. Other teenage delinquents stood ready to take the Gangrene Gang's place. And real estate officials may as well distribute Fuzzy Lumkins' possessions in various directions. Still, just because Threetails advanced a step further didn't completely make her the worst thing since epidemic encephalitis. Some opponents of the Powerpuff Girls had been absent at the time, and she'd only restricted herself to Townsville. Not to mention all the regular criminals boasting such low concentrations of negative energy even though absorbing a few still helped a bit.

Upon metamorphosing, Threetails stared at the snoozing ITG with a perplexed expression. Shock hadn't made them pass out like fatigue did (i.e. they were too exhausted to comprehend the circumstances). "Huh," the demon spoke in a more adult-like tone, "Not the reaction I expected, but oh well." She gently hoisted them by their nightgowns' napes with her sickle-clawed hands, floated into their bedroom, dropped them onto the bed, tucked them in, and exited. Positioning herself in the living room, Threetails admired her new physique in satisfaction. Her girls would always have tomorrow to do the same, so why worry?

Actually, there did exist someone who saw Mojo fall that night: Him. The lobster must've replayed on his television set at least twenty times the one scene with Threetails plunging her claws through the chimp's helmet and, well, absorbing him. And another scene where she dropped the corpse into endless pitch black acted as wallpaper. Him knew just what it meant with the chimp gone and so fell out of his armchair all tittering inside. "Threetails," he commented while standing back up, "Just seeing you reminded me of our high school days when you acted all macho. But after this favor you've done me, I'm thinking about taking back all those derogatory things I ever said about you. Now I'm the Powerpuff Girls' worst enemy! Me, me, me!" The television displayed Threetails' 'larval' form. "Yes, Threetails, I did say me. Whatever you're thinking, **YOU MAY AS WELL DREAM ON!** Come what may, **MY POWER WILL NEVER BE YOURS!"** He stared at the ceiling (or lack thereof) in deep thought, eventually emitting the same foreboding chuckle he gave off from casting a hate spell on Townsville long ago.

In keeping with their usual schedule, the ITG woke up at 5:30 the next morning for whatever task their mistress required of them now or later on. But a more focused study on her transformation interrupted other activities. Each girl floated at different corners around Threetails in keen observation rather than bow down. "Wow," Azalea started, "How many inches thick is your shell?"

"Immeasurable, I presume?" Tuesday suggested.

"You look like…like…some kind of queen," Penny added. She then backed away nervously once her eyes fell upon the claws. "Whoa. Be careful you don't poke someone's eyes out with those hooks."

"Actually, my shell is hard yet thin," Threetails explained, "On the other hand, my arms are another story."

"So what's your name now? I mean, now that your tails are gone? Is it 'No Tails'?"

"Penny, quit being so lame," Azalea said, "Her name is still Threetails."

"Yeah, but she doesn't have three tails, so how can it be her name?"

"Your sister is correct," Threetails answered, "My name has, is, and always will be Threetails even if I'm stuck inside a big shell."

"No more irritating the mistress, Penny," Tuesday ordered, "So, Mistress. Now that you're another step down the metamorphosis, what happens next?"

"Next, I complete the chain," was the reply, "And I believe I know who holds the final key…ugh…ook…"

"Are you choking?" Penny inquired. At the word 'key', Threetails wiggled and gagged as her body went through spasms. White electricity covered the demon from head to hem. The ITG shielded themselves in preparation for a possible attack.

"Mistress, what's going on?" they cried out.

"I can't…control it!" The negative buildup inside had somehow found a way to fight back. Was it a lack of positrons due to overloaded negatrons? Did her victims mysteriously regain consciousness? Or was Threetails' body only used to handling specific energy sources? Whatever the case, nothing prevented a quiet catastrophe from befalling the county. Threetails expelled from her chest sixteen colorless energy orbs – fourteen small ones followed by two larger ones – out of the hideout. They passed through the ceiling without making tunnels, out of the grass, and in the direction of Townsville. Four landed on the direct center of Mt. Volcanotop's crater. Two landed somewhere near the harbor. Three actually stayed behind right next to the hideout's hidden entrance. One landed in a polluted ditch containing a mechanical arm from one of Mojo Jojo's failed inventions. Another four wound up near a pet store. And the two larger ones flew towards the outer atmosphere in an arc, as if biding time before going to Townsville.

"What a rush!" Penny declared, no longer shielding herself, "Did we miss something?"

"Mistress!" Tuesday cried, "Are you okay?"

Although the glowing stop and everybody recollected themselves, Threetails appeared weak. Neither gray skin nor face armor nor the shell in general hid her newfound fatigue. "No, I'm not…okay." She panted deeply as if suffering a heart attack.

"Glad that's over," Azalea commented.

"Wrong, foolish girl," Threetails scorned, placing a hand over her own chest, "Those last two orbs larger than the others were my heart split in half."

"Your heart?" Tuesday said.

"Yes. No telling where they or those blasts will end up."

"Is it that important?" Penny asked, "What'll they do?"

"They'll possess whoever they come in contact with first, bestowing superpowers at random. The orbs may grant innermost desires or something undefined like enhanced primal instincts. But as you can guess, the two halves of my heart are the strongest of all sixteen. It'll be difficult getting them back. Each orb has landed or will land in random locations around Townsville."

"And you want us to perform a scavenger hunt?" Azalea guessed.

"Um…uhhhh…" Eyes weary, Threetails gently sloped down and up against the nearest wall into a slumber. The ITG faced each other in confusion, not knowing how to address this new development. Should they go on that scavenger hunt or stay by their mistress' side? How much time did they have until her heart empowered some victims? Alas, letting morality dominate their minds, the trio ended up harmonizing the second choice. Besides, there was no telling how they'd get the organ back or what it might do to them.

Hours later, police tape surrounded the former volcano, Fuzzy's 'farm', and the very crevice which Mojo was dropped in. A helicopter had noticed the first two's conditions and immediately signaled headquarters on the spot. Someone called in for the third after picking up a strange odor. Still, nothing prevented an out-of-town school bus from entering city limits down south for a field trip. For the time being, Threetails' orbs remained well-hidden and undisturbed. Why, for a while, they also put up an invisibility cloak as if acting freely. Meanwhile, the PPG hovered around a portion of melted metal covering much of the crater's inner walls taking this news somewhat calmly. Four funny-looking FBI agents – a tall man wearing glasses; a darkly-tanned, mouse-faced woman; a shorter male with braces, who could be easily mistaken as a child; and a short female resembling a doll – stood by taking notes. Others rubbed hands across metal and igneous rock. "Go figure," Blossom began, "Melted metal, hard rock, and not a trace of Mojo."

"Unless you count the bits of fried fur on this rock," the tall female said, kicking up a few said hairs.

"Did you see the big hole in his belly?" Bubbles said, "I kinda feel sorry for him." (Even though they spotted the messy crater from their bedroom windows and were originally on their way here first, the girls had been redirected to the other locations. Mojo's lifeless body robbed them of their shock.)

"Can't really say **I** do," Buttercup disagreed, "Maybe he didn't hafta be killed, but Mojo definitely had something coming to him."

"Yeah, I wanna meet the person responsible," the short male stated, nearly blowing the quartet's cover. Yes, they were the Smith family heavily disguised as police officers. It started with Harold's dumb plan of using a hair dryer to the professor's head, a pie fight, and villainy spreading through the family a week later preceding jail time. Basically, after previous experiences, the Smiths bode their time until the right moment. Taking advantage of parole, the Smiths left Townsville for a while and participated in secret, other criminal activities while keeping a keen eye on their original hometown. It gave all four ample opportunity to make disguises and Harold more time to fix his villain uniform. Now he wore a real red spandex, white boots, real blue cape, yellow gloves, and the same black goggles and antenna.

Now, like mostly anyone else, they never actually witnessed Threetails' recent activities until this morning. At least two or three hours before the demon's intrusion into Mojo's observatory, something clicked inside those once-average heads; it was time for revenge. So they bid their newfound criminal brethren goodbye, put on their disguises over their uniforms, and hitched a ride on a cargo train. They'd arrived only seconds after Threetails dropped Mojo upon the rocks. Of course, to fit in with everything and everyone else, they required removing certain articles of their uniforms (such as masks and goggles). While the PPG had been otherwise too distracted by Mojo's corpse to notice, Buddy's sudden outburst nearly tipped them off until Harold nudged him in the side. "Why's that?" Bubbles asked.

Buddy quickly disguised his voice again. "Er, that is to say, I wanna meet 'em so I can give 'em a good old-fashioned talking-to."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," Blossom agreed, "I place my bets on Threetails."

"How do you know?" Julie asked.

Blossom rubbed the metal while acting like a museum tour guide. "Well, it's got a sort of texture no machine laser can quite mimic. Eye lasers produce the smoothest melt known. Only we, the Rowdyruff Boys, the Intrepatuff Girls, Threetails, and Him are capable of that sort of thing." Her eyes darted towards a rougher section at the wall's bottom section. "This rough area reeks of Threetails' venom. But we've never known it before to leave traces behind."

"Maybe there are still some things about her you don't know yet," Harold chimed, "Though, I gotta agree with you there. She has been pretty active lately."

"Well, it could've fooled anyone," Buttercup said, "We don't know much about the Intrepatuffs, either. And Him is just as dangerous as Mojo once was if not more so."

"Do you know where Threetails is hiding?" Buddy asked.

"Yeah, where Citysville used to be," Bubbles answered, "But we can't find an entrance, and it's too hard to break through."

"Too bad," Julie said, "You girls should probably get to school now. Don't wanna be late for class."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Blossom remembered, "There's a 7th-grade class from Merringale coming to visit for an art project. C'mon, girls."

"We'll call you again if anything new happens," Harold said.

"Thanks!" the girls said before flying off. After making sure they disappeared completely, the Smiths exchanged cheerfulness for glaring. No police officer paid them heed, still believing them to be FBI agents.

"Like I said before, it makes me sick," Marianne growled.

"So when're we gonna give it to 'em?" Buddy asked.

"All in good time," Marianne answered, glowering over her son, "But you better watch yourself next time. They nearly caught us red-handed."

"I forget: Why exactly are we here again?" Julie queried, "I don't see any useful weapons."

"That's because you're not looking hard enough," Harold said, "Your mother and I don't entirely believe Threetails destroyed everything on and inside this crater, demon or not. She must've left something behind, and we're not leaving until we find out what."

"Why would Threetails even do something like that?" Buttercup wondered back at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. The PPG had arrived into their seats at the end of recess, only minutes before the aforementioned 7th-graders came marching in. They discussed the matter quietly while the older kids situated themselves amongst younger ones at random. Art supplies covered all desks.

"Because she's mean, why else?" Bubbles said.

"Yes, Bubbles, that's what I'm asking: Why else?"

"Could be anything," Blossom said, "She might be afraid someone'll find a way to dominate her. Mojo went through the same that one time with all the monkeys."

"Um, girls?" came Ms. Keane's voice, "Here are your workmates." All six eyes darted towards their teacher before landing on a pair of Chinese preteens: one boy and one girl. The boy had yellow, wavy hair in a brush cut and wore a bright-green sleeveless shirt; black shorts; blue socks; and tan tennis shoes. The girl boasted gold hair tied in twin ponytails and was clad in a gray sleeveless shirt; olive jacket; blue pants; green socks; and white tennis shoes. Withdrawn facial expressions left when the two positioned themselves in tiny yet strong chairs.

"Ouch," the girl commented, "This cramps my legs worse than sitting cross-legged."

Satisfied, Ms. Keane joined an older teacher standing near the chalkboard. "Do well, students," the older one spoke, "And try not to be brash." She directed her next, stern words towards the Chinese pair. "That goes for you too, Mr. Liao and Miss Ying."

Acknowledging, the preteen pair got to work with the PPG making rectangular collages out of various geometric shapes. Bubbles pushed away from the previous subject at remembering manners. "Oh, where are our manners. Hello, new friends."

"Hey," the boy casually greeted.

"My name is Bubbles. These are my sisters Blossom and Buttercup. We're the Powerpuff Girls."

"Yeah, we know," the girl said, "We've seen you on television more times than we can count."

"So, what're your names?" Blossom asked.

"I'm Kunlun Ying. Kunlun for short."

"And I'm Sonny Liao. Just call me Sonny."

"Uh, nice to meet you?" Buttercup said, extending a mitt. Blossom and Bubbles followed suit, halting the construction. Exchanging glances, the preteens shrugged and gave handshakes. After everything they'd seen on television, Sonny and Kunlun all of a sudden and at long last couldn't believe the thrill of meeting celebrities in person coursing through their blood vessels. The two inspected all three X-creations before continuing the current project.

"Whoa," Kunlun commented, "I just had me the trip of a lifetime."

"Aw, being here's not going to take that long," Bubbles said.

"No, not that," Sonny explained, pasting a triangular prism on a corner of Blossom's orange sheet, "Now I know how one feels when meeting their favorite singer or actor."

"Eh, we've learned not to let it blind us," Buttercup informed, "Say, why the act?"

"What act?"

"You started out stuck up when you came in, and now you're overloaded with words," Blossom said, handing Bubbles a sheet of purple, "What's the deal?"

"We're not stuck up," Kunlun said, feeling a tad annoyed, "We just have serious views of life, that's all. Believe us, we're nothing like that rich kid who tried being one of you in the past."

"Sorry," Bubbles apologized.

"No harm done," Sonny shrugged, "This city's on the news nearly 24-7. I'm amazed it's still standing after all the damage it's taken in the past year or so."

"Yeah," Kunlun agreed, "I stopped counting around, say, 25."

Morning passed into noon, and the rest of the class time was history. Back at Mt. Volcanotop, the officers on duty grew bored and so decided to leave for a short while. The Smiths must've looked around the crater approximately thirty times but found absolutely nothing useful the entire time. Whew, talk about frustrating! It did seem odd that the 'FBI agents' refrained from the outside, but who were the cops to question 'professionals'? "Hey, you four coming?" one asked.

Ever undiscovered, the Smiths paused their own inspection long enough to answer the last question. "Uh, not yet!" Marianne said, "We're gonna stay a bit longer. Who knows, we might find some rare mineral or other."

"If you say so," was the returned response, "We'll leave the ladder handy."

"Thanks!" the Smiths chorused. Beaming, they made each officer climbed up the rope and disappeared below before glaring again. Keeping disguised, the quartet pondered their situation.

"This is taking too long!" Julie complained, "Don't tell me she really did melt everything in sight!"

"Keep it down," Buddy ordered, "Someone's gonna hear you."

"There must be something…" Harold began, cut off by a flash of orange on the center. Captivated, the Smiths gathered around what looked like four orange duck eggs. The first of Threetails' orbs had made themselves known.

"What're those?" Buddy wondered.

"I couldn't say," Marianne stated, picking one up, "It looks like a duck's egg. Though, I've never before seen one glowing or colored orange."

Harold also picked one up, then Julie, and then Buddy. "Think Threetails left these here on purpose?" Julie said.

"Possibly, except for the 'purpose' part," Harold said, "I wonder…?" Cutting Harold off again, the orbs worked themselves along via absorbing into each family member's wrist. Silence and an orange glow filled the crater, though not enough to tip off anyone on lower ground. For a moment, the Smiths couldn't speak much less comprehend this. A supernatural essence coursed through their veins, incinerating their disguises and the police tape. Confusion soon gave way to partiality. "Oh, yes! Can you feel the magic, family?"

"You bet!" Buddy answered.

Julie started out uncertain but instantly brightened up. "I'm not sure I can control it…but I don't care!"

"Our moment of truth!" Marianne squealed. Primal instincts and glowing were only the half of it, however; next came mutations. Harold's electronic antenna split in two and fused with his forehead. The cape covered his entire backside smoothly and on his torso in segments, hardening into a beetle shell. Two more arms protruded from under those already present. Marianne's mutation looked a bit creepier: gloves, boots, and spandex fusing together; holes opening up on the topsides of her wrists to project a pair of black shoulder-length spears; spiked elbows; slight anorexia; and a mess of white hair.

Buddy's muscles bulked up, though not as powerfully as his fists. His lower jaw extended several inches long, making way for sharp metal teeth. Sharp fingers and toes poked out of the clothing. Julie's mutation wasn't much for moral admiration, either: sharp teeth replacing her lips; tutu spikes fusing with waist; three rows of spikes running down both chest and back; and brown scaly skin. "It's time to go!" Harold commanded in a grotesque tone.

At that moment, the PPG and the same 7th-grade class made their way towards the park, blissfully unaware. Having nothing else better to do with their class ending a while ago, the heroes offered to accompany the class should disaster break out. The older kids stared upon the melted crater in perplexity as well as awe. "Whoa, what happened to the observatory?" someone asked, "Did the paste monster come back or something?"

"That's not paste," Blossom explained, "One of our enemies killed Mojo and melted his home down for scrap. Can't say why, unfortunately."

"How come?" another added, "Who did it?"

"Was it that pink furry guy?" a third suggested, receiving snickers and rolled eyes.

"Nope," Bubbles answered, "She calls herself Threetails. Anyone see a teenager on TV with scorpion tails?"

"Look out!" the teacher cried. Everyone barely dodged a punch on the ground courtesy of a grunting Buddy. Nobody knew what to make of this.

"What on earth happened to you?" Buttercup wondered.

"He's not alone!" Marianne said, strolling on up and demonstrating fancy sword tricks without damaging anything.

The class attempted running for cover but ended up trapped in a circle of tall spikes from Julie's chest and back. "Hey, let us outta here!" they all demanded.

"No!" Julie growled, "You stay! We destroy Powerpuffs!"

"Leave 'em alone!" Bubbles ordered. She flew towards Julie and the class, only to receive an interceptive kick from Harold. Buttercup and Blossom flew to their sister's aid, and the Smiths circled around them. What else could the class do but watch helplessly.

"You four are still up to no good?" Blossom said, "Whadja do, volunteer for an experiment?"

"Hardly," Harold replied, "You got lucky the last two times, but we're also armed with superpowers!"

"Where from?" Buttercup questioned.

"You think we're gonna tell you?" Marianne said, "Forget it!"

"Let them go!" Bubbles ordered again, pointing at the class, "They didn't do anything!"

"Defeat us!" Buddy requested, "Get back them!"

"Our pleasure!" Buttercup accepted. It didn't matter to the Smiths that the PPG decided to take this fight out of town like always. And Fuzzy Lumkins' estate would make a decent arena. Buttercup just barely matched Marianne's fancy sword tricks, which moderately slashed up her dress and stockings. "You're paying my tailoring bills, lady!"

"And you're paying for ruining our lives!"

"We didn't even do anything!"

"Yes, you did! Yes, you did!"

"You're just jealous! Energy Spheres!" Buttercup flung green energy projectiles like a machine gun, all of which Marianne dodged in a pirouette display. The green 'puff then unleashed another pair to control with rotating arms. Still, the demented adult female provided counter-maneuvers and whacked those projectiles aside.

"I just don't understand you people," Blossom said between exchanging blows with Harold, "You once had perfect lives yourselves. Why throw it all away?" Unsurprisingly, her punches didn't even dent his shell. And he moved quickly enough to protect vulnerable parts.

"Give up the chance of a lifetime?" Harold answered, "Never! The monkey no longer exists! We, the Smiths, are the city's newest major villains! Not even Threetails will dare stand in our way!"

"If you were a loser before, now you're even bigger. Ice Breath!" Blossom showered Harold in ice, but he didn't freeze solid. While dodging another punch, the pink 'puff got another idea and kept the freeze power going. Maybe it weakened the demented man to a point where his shell would now crack. Needless to say, she only got a mangled arm out of the action.

Bubbles had her mitts twice as full with two opponents. Every time she deflected a barrage of Julie's spikes, Buddy administered a sock on her cheek, gut, or forehead. And every time the blue 'puff tried slugging back, more spikes came raining down. Such an endless cycle nearly made her rip out her own pigtails. "Ugh! What'd we do to deserve this?"

"You lose my jacks!" Julie responded, "Now you pay with life!"

"We could've just bought you some new jacks!"

"I not hurt!" Buddy added, "Just hate you and sisters!"

Bubbles finally found the right moment to distance herself a bit from her oncoming assailants. "Sonic Scream!" Giant sound waves loomed down upon the deranged siblings, who faced them confidently. Julie spun around ballerina-style and shredded half into harmless breezes. Buddy puffed his pectorals up to dilute the other half. Before long, the Smiths all but fell the PPG. Dizzy from being flung into a tree, Buttercup barely kept Marianne's spears from slashing her skin. Harold got Blossom pinned underneath his back. And Bubbles lay helplessly on her back as Julie and Buddy pummeled her mercilessly.

"They're losing," a 7th-grader noted. Still trapped behind those spikes, the class saw the fight clear as day. However, nobody else noticed or even heard Sonny and Kunlun conversing in secret.

"They'll be dead doornails before night," Kunlun said, "Wish we could do something."

"But we're just ordinary kids," Sonny said, "We can't break out of our cage."

"Hey, what's that?"

"What's what?"

"That." Sonny looked up to where Kunlun pointed at. Shielding their eyes from the midday sun, they made out a pair of large blue orbs apparently growing larger. The halves of Threetails' heart had concluded their excursion, and these two preteens were the targets. Not knowing how to react, time froze over as those orbs gently soaked into one forehead each. At that, Kunlun and Sonny felt the same supernatural essence while glowing a bright blue. Everyone else noticed neither this nor the following disappearing act.

Nothing much changed back on the hill. Marianne's spears were only a millimeter from Buttercup's neck. Blossom and Bubbles may as well be corpses by now, what with all the vigor forced out of them. That's when a blast of blue lightning and a black-and-orange whirling boomerang shape knocked the villainous family for a loop. Realizing what just happened, the PPG regrouped to thank their rescuers. "Thanks a…lot?"

All did a double-take at what resembled a tiger accompanied by a dragon, both with human form. The tiger person boasted an orange version of Sonny's brush cut; eagle wings; red loincloth; metal wrist and ankle cuffs; metal hip and shoulder pads each with one spike in the middle; and a longer-than-average tail. The dragon had all blue skin; chains wrapped around her limbs and torso; a sharp-edged yellow mask with navy markings and a bent gray horn; navy head feelers resembling Kunlun's ponytails; and a tail made completely of blue electricity. "Are you on our side?" a hopeful Buttercup asked, ignoring the withdrawn expressions.

"You bet we are," the dragon, Kunlun, answered.

"Kunlun?" Blossom said.

"And me," the tiger, Sonny, put in.

"Sonny?" Bubbles said.

"So, we're not the only ones," Harold sneered, "You have us outnumbered five on four, but it doesn't matter! We'll win if it's the last thing we ever do!" All six mutants created tremors that very instant. The PPG wanted to join in, if not for paralysis of being amazed at the preteens' smooth moves. Kunlun fired the same blue lightning from her horn, and her tail created underground mines which exploded instantly. Sonny's tail doubled as a detachable segmented metal rod, accompanying razor wings. Buddy's muscles paled in comparison to either opponent. Harold suffered a cracked shell, Marianne shattered spears, and Julie chipped spikes. Before long, the preteens found they couldn't control their powers either.

"Uh oh," Blossom decided, "C'mon, let's finish the fight!" It was all downhill from there, figuratively and literally. While Sonny and Kunlun struggled to maintain indwelling primal forces, the PPG beat the Smiths to a worse pulp than they'd ever experienced. The villains' powers couldn't handle the strain and so gave out. Remaining transformed, the preteens joined the girls in keeping the Smiths at bay.

"Whadja do that for?" Julie griped.

"We're not gonna dignify that with a response," Bubbles stated.

"You got some explaining to do," Sonny demanded, "Did we miss the party?"

"Who're you supposed to be?" Buddy asked.

"Never mind," Kunlun said, "Will somebody please us what's going on?" They all shot out rapid-fire comments, excuses, and reasons. "Oh, forget it. I'll just read yer minds."

"Me too," Sonny agreed.

"Can they do that?" Bubbles wondered. Yes indeed, Sonny and Kunlun received more than expected upon having Threetails' heart in their systems. They read all seven opposing minds from the friendly chat on up to now. Everyone looked confused at seeing them break out into gut-busting laughter afterward.

"What's so funny?" Buttercup asked. That's when they came to a stop.

"Oh, too much!" Kunlun declared, "This has got to be the funniest thing I ever seen in my life! So tell me, Mr. Smith, what were you gonna do to their father? Style his hair?"

"I was gonna melt his head!" a frustrated Harold moaned.

"Please," Sonny smarted off, "With a hair dryer? Oh, and Mrs. Smith, your stupid husband drove himself insane."

"Don't you talk that way about my husband!"

The Chinese turned serious. "Then don't go blaming others for your mistakes," Kunlun said, "We've picked up your reasons. We're all full of mistakes, but Sonny and I have heard better logic from a tank of unprocessed sewage." The Smiths looked shocked.

"Yep, that says everything," Sonny concluded, "You're all nothing but a bunch of whining, crying losers. Throwing away an actual life for this? Those in poverty would've killed to be in your former position. You're just like Princess Morebucks." Both pointed a palm at the Smiths and teleported them to a new location.

"Where'd they go?" Blossom wondered.

"We teleported them to a psychiatric hospital in Merringale," Kunlun answered, "The people who work there are professionals. They'll be better off."

Later on, after freeing the class, the PPG bid a more personal farewell to a de-transformed Sonny and Kunlun. No one saw what had happened to the pair, and neither they nor the girls would tell a soul. "Gotta admit, we weren't expecting this from a simple field trip," Sonny admitted, "But honestly, you three worry too much."

"Only in Townsville," Blossom shrugged, "So, what're you gonna do now that you're superpowered?"

"After some training to bring our powers under control, we'll make good use of them and become heroes in our own town," Kunlun said, "We got a lot of free time on our hands anyway."

"You did pretty good today," Buttercup complimented, "Just like in the movies. Think you could show me a few moves sometime?"

"Maybe," Sonny said, "Truthfully, Kunlun and I are only beginners at this sort of thing. No matter what you've seen on television or in the movies, not all of us Chinese are big fighters. Some of us are also scientific and even political."

"How're you gonna fight crime and do everything else without giving away your secret?" Bubbles asked.

"We'll find a way," Kunlun said.

"Come on, Kunlun!" their teacher called from the bus, "Sonny!"

"Joi gin," the pair said.

"Goodbye to you too!' Blossom said.

"Uh, yeah!" Bubbles and Buttercup chimed. They watched the bus disappear into the vanishing point. A half hour must've passed by before Blossom coached her sisters back home.

"C'mon, girls. We got our work cut out for us this time."

"How so?" Bubbles asked.

"I get it," Buttercup said, "Everybody's been taking advantage of us because we've slacked in our training. And, we let others do the work for us."

"Exactly," Blossom finished, "No telling what'll happen next. Let's go home." No further disturbances barred them from the return trip or anything else. Still, today's incidents were only an understatement compared to future events. Only time knew what more the remaining orbs could and would do in following days.

The End


	9. Whale Hail

Ever since their personal maturation trials, the Powerpuff Girls gained new enemies and allies alike. Though, they'd also shirked much responsibility with the coming of supernatural orbs scattered about Townsville. Now that Mojo Jojo was a history lesson, how would that affect the villainous community around? Neither heroes nor authorities knew for sure since no other demented figure attempted reaching out for the chimp's pedestal. Some might say they lacked the necessary bravery and resources for such a task. But others placed bets on Threetails; perhaps potential crooks valued their lives much like the civilians they harassed and so didn't want to get absorbed. In fact, crime in Townsville was now dropping just a little bit below its former average. Jailbreaks saw a minor decrease. Still, no one ever discovered why Threetails hadn't already continued on after her last absorption.

Speaking of allies, three cloaked figures – the Rowdyruff Boys – strolled upon a shop event where employees gave away various free novelties to children. Many stared but said nothing. Some table-like vats contained stuffed animals; Boomer picked out an orange dolphin having the same half-closed yellow eyes as Octi. Amongst plastic and metal toys, Butch contended himself with a brown and pink yo-yo. Brick selected a pocket-sized novel on cats and samurais. The boys then left casually, not wishing to spend undeserved time around regular people. They'd retained their sense of isolation even after defeating their inner demons for fear of being hurt. Everyone back in Townsville voting for them already lost, right? And the news media spread the boys' bad reputations throughout other places. So what chances existed for starting over? Despite never staying long enough to actually hear the final decision, the RRB understood it beforehand. Again, they did a good job finding new disguises and not using powers to get around. Nobody discovered this either. Today's stroll took them to an old house. "People here sure are friendly once you get to know 'em," Butch commented, playing with his new yo-yo, "Too bad we can't show our faces."

"Yeah," Boomer agreed, nuzzling the stuffed dolphin against his cheek under the hood, "Well, at least **I** got a new friend today." His voice turned slightly mushy for the next line. "Isn't that right, Spouts?"

Butch paused his yo-yoing. "Uh, Boomer? What kind of a name is 'Spouts'?"

"I think it has something to do with this little black hole on her head. Either way, I think it's a cute name."

"Let's keep our voices down, fellas," Brick reminded, "Can't let anyone discover whom we really are."

"One side, landlubbers," came a pushy voice. A woman dressed in a scaly, fuchsia diver's suit; long black gloves; black flippers; a gray cape having a hem shaped like ocean waves; gray water goggles; black mouthpiece and oxygen tank; black belt; pale blue skin; spiky white hair with one purple stripe each on either side, sticking out of the suit; and a gray 'W' on her belt and chest stepped out of the house and shoved Brick up against his brothers, nearly knocking them over. The charade thankfully didn't expose them.

"Pushy," Butch muttered.

"Imagine that," Brick commented, "Some lady coming out of an old house wearing a diving suit when we're all miles away from a creek, much less a lake or ocean."

"Maybe she's in a hurry and did this to save time," Boomer suggested, "Don't a lot of people?"

"Unless she has hypothermia, that suit must make a person overheat. Or, so I've heard. And I didn't spot any signs of moisture on her exterior."

"What're you getting at?" Butch asked, "You think she's gonna go on a supervillain rampage?"

"Well, she did shove us aside. Errr…okay, so maybe that shouldn't really count." Brick shrugged before regaining composure. "Still, even the smallest acts are enough to get my suspicions going. Let's follow her in secret but not do anything else just yet."

"Think she'll lead us back to Townsville?" Boomer wondered.

"Only one way to find out."

"Again!" Blossom commanded, "Hit it again!" Fighting a monster resembling the one fish balloon but with tentacles instead of flippers the next day, the PPG kept true to their previous goal of going back to training in the simulation room. They'd started out relatively sloppy due to recent slacking off after the black mud entity invaded. And they practiced harder than ever since previous sessions still couldn't match up against Threetails or anyone associated with her while taking occasional breaks. Not that the girls didn't appreciate help from the Sandman, Sonny, and Kunlun, but Townsville was their protectorate after all. It was wrong depending heavily on others for saving the day. Anyhow, one last combined blow smashed the monster projection into lifeless flaps of skin.

"Mission accomplished," came an electronic voice, upon which the scene faded into tiles once more. The PPG floated out into the control room, where the professor provided towels for wiping away sweat. In fact, four hours worth of training produced quite a bit of dirty laundry that morning.

"Well done again, girls," he complimented, "You're on your way to Level 20. I've never seen this much training since before that fair."

"Thanks, Professor," Buttercup replied, "Glad ya think so."

"Who knows? You three look as if you could take on ten demons in a snap." He glanced at his wristwatch. "Uh oh. I better go check the noodles." Prof. Utonium made his exit, leaving the girls to contemplate.

"Back to battle, back to square one," Blossom started, wiping her brow.

"You said it," Buttercup agreed, "I can't wait to see how well we do on the actual battlefield. When's the last time we've done any real day-saving?"

"Well, we never really defeated Threetails or the Intrepatuff Girls in our last encounters. Sonny and Kunlun got the Smiths, and the Sandman's efforts typically accounted for the black mud monster. I'm not so sure about the last Rowdyruff incident. So, I can only guess the last time was against Princess."

"Speaking of the Rowdyruff Boys, I wonder how they're doing right now?" Bubbles said. Momentum ceased as the girls thought hard about this. Although most may have forgotten, the PPG yet remembered how sad and hopeless the RRB felt leaving Townsville. It could've all been a ruse for causing damage someplace else though the girls didn't quite believe so. Dark eye circles, drowning in grief, and heavy emotional voices weren't strong enough to fool their hearts. Hearing nothing new of the boys since then, the girls guessed (A) the former found peace in a village extremely behind the times or (B) the boys hadn't found peace and continued quietly masquerading as monks or something. Whichever choice held out, somebody was certainly doing a good job. "Townsville sure feels different without them."

"It was their decision," Blossom said, "We're not to blame."

"Guess not," Buttercup shrugged, "Still. I hate to admit it, but the brunette would make one mean sparring partner."

"I hear ya. Ice Princess and Fire Prince; not a bad combo."

"Um, girls?" Bubbles wondered, "I'm concerned about the way the boys put their hands on their cheeks where we kissed them. Do you think they…mmm…?"

"That's a good question," Blossom admitted, "I guess it's fairly possible."

"Eh, I don't know," Buttercup said, returning to her old self, "We're not even supposed to be thinking about that stuff until we're twelve or thirteen."

"Am I interrupting?" the professor asked, entering, "What's on your minds, girls?"

"Oh, hey Professor," Blossom greeted, "We're just talking about past ordeals. Nothing major, really."

"Whatever you say. Lunch is ready now."

While the Utonium family helped themselves to a tasty lunch cuisine, new trouble was afoot downtown. Footsteps across the harbor's beachfront made their way toward something shiny underneath a particular sandy patch. The same woman who'd bumped into the RRB a short while ago unearthed two turquoise orbs no different than those previously empowering the Smiths besides color. It was anyone's guess why said boys hadn't reached her same location soon enough, and not that they chose to observe her from some distance. Perhaps she'd somehow lost them, or they continued moving too slowly. Either way, none dared stop her absorption of both spherical objects into her palm. Zipping motions across town replicating the sound of ocean waves crashing against shorelines eluded the best cameras.

Ms. Keane knew no job ever came easy. She passed her time filling out important documents at home amongst a short lunch; no amusement today. But the ringing phone proved plain interruptions were another story. "What could it be now?" She answered it. "Hello?"

"Sweetie, it's me."

"Hello, Mom. I have to admit this is a surprise. We haven't spoken in ages…and you sound different from what I last remember."

"That's okay. So, how's life treating you? Any new plans today?"

"I'm doing fine except for all this paperwork. Believe me, this wasn't the first amusing idea on my mind."

"Glad you mentioned it. Hear all the news concerning new inventions to revolutionize the recycling industry or other?"

"Yeah, technology's changing with each passing second. It has its ups and downs."

"And our family's about to join the race. I just wanted to tell you that I've invented a new device that helps sort papers more efficiently than cabinets. I didn't know who to start with first until I remembered my dear daughter, that being you. In short, I want you to test it first."

"Really?"

"Really. Family always comes first. Are you interested?"

Although it almost felt too good to be true, the teacher's curiosity persisted. "Alright, maybe I'll bring some of my most important papers. By the way, how come you sound so close? Are you in the neighborhood?"

"You bet. I just came in yesterday. Sorry I and your father didn't let you know sooner."

Ms. Keane held a hand up to the phone. "No biggie. When do we start?"

"Right away. Meet me at the corner four blocks down from your house in 20 minutes."

"I'm on my way." As it turns out, the orbs gave that pushy diver not only super speed but also the means to disguise her true identity over Ms. Keane's phone and provide a taxi ride (voice authenticity had been a long shot). Nobody yet knew the orbs' full potential. The teacher didn't recall her 'mother' being so secretive: The imposter neither explained much about a strange turquoise glow from one pocket nor answered what importance the harbor had in this supposed employment service. But all answers came to Ms. Keane's shock underneath the docks when her companion ditched the disguise, pulled off a face mask, unveiled the shock of white hair with purple stripes, and got back into her diver's outfit. "I knew it! You're not my mom!"

"Correct, fool! I'm not your mother! Your mother is not who I am! I am the new purveyor of pilfering, the new brains of humanity's bane, and the queen of the ocean! I am bad! I am evil! I am Washout!"

True maniacal laughter followed the tirade, though Ms. Keane only stared with perplexity and vexation. "Okay, what's this all about? Why are you acting like Mojo Jojo?"

"I am the new evil mind in town. Because the chimp has left the building, that same building from which he left is officially up for grabs. And I don't care who's responsible for it. If I cared, I'd elevate the subject higher than a mountain. I would explain it fully, entirely, and in utter detail. But since I'm not, that can only mean I feel indifferent about it."

"So does that mean no invention to help sort papers?"

"Of course not, you fool." Washout withdrew said items from said teacher's pockets and ripped them up to blow in the wind to the latter's shock. "That was just a ruse to get you out of the house. A deception to release you from your confines. That means I also lied about your family joining the inventing crowd. But enough about that spam. Let's get to the point and ignore that which was never important to begin with. As I already said, my name is Washout. I was once a diving instructor until I grew bored with it. My fascination for the ocean showed me how superior it is to life on land. And because it's superior, I plan on spreading this fascination with the rest of the world. Get my drift? Do you understand the words of my mouth from which they emit? I'm creating a water world."

Ms. Keane stared blankly at her tormentor for five seconds, unsure of how to address the situation. Her following escape attempt proved futile. "Yeah, that's nice and all. I'm just gonna go back home now. Hope it all works out." Washout grabbed the teacher and slammed her up against a support beam. "Hey, what'd I do to you?"

"What did you do to me? Nothing much. I've read about all your excursions as a teacher and never guessed what kind of tweaking the pure evil inside needed. Acts unseen by the criminal record books. Invisible violations."

"Excuse me, missy! I'm not a criminal!"

"Oh, no? What about the time that fireball came crashing down whose heat you forced your students to suffer a heatstroke under when they didn't ask for it in the first place? What detail did I miss? What stimulus inspired such a response in you?"

"You think I liked the heat any better than them? It's not like I did it on purpose."

Washout punched the teacher in the belly and held her still again, not allowing time for recovery. "Wrong answer, liar." Ms. Keane only coughed in response as Washout's grip tightened further. "And what about when the Gangrene Gang attended class and you purposely let them beat up your students? Your eardrums must've failed you, for they should've picked up the very sounds which indicated a brawl. And since they clearly failed you, it's safe to say you orchestrated the event."

"I didn't mean to!" Ms. Keane moaned, receiving a hard punch in one shoulder, "Ouch!"

"'I didn't mean to!'" Another punch and cry. "'I wasn't thinking!'" A third punch and cry. "'I should have my license revoked and not be allowed to teach anymore!'" Then came a slap across the hostage's face. "You heard me right: You shouldn't be allowed to teach at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten for another day after right now. Instead, you should be sitting on the nearest corner without a single crumb lamenting over your lousy perception that got you on the corner in the first place." Ms. Keane wanted so badly to collapse when Washout kicked her shins but had to endure the pain of standing tall with her captor's ever-firm grip.

"Can I go home now?" the teacher sobbed.

"No, 'cause I still need you. If I didn't, I wouldn't be holding you against the pole with my hands which must do something that I chose you as a partner for. Look what **I** got." Washout switched from restraining Ms. Keane against the pole at the shoulders with both hands to restraining her at the head with just one. The new villain then enthusiastically released one orb out of her palm and directed it to the teacher's side. "Shiny, isn't it? What's it do, you ask?

Ms. Keane eyed it warily. "I'd rather not find out."

"It grants the user anything they desire. I know because I found them on the beach this morning and made physical contact out of curiosity rather than celebrate my discovery. It provided me the disguises, speed, and strength I needed to capture you."

"But…why me?"

"I really hate to repeat myself, lady. You know deep down inside you want to unleash the evil potential hindered by nothing other than the very presence of those Powerpunks. It's your destiny. Their loathsome encumbrance is something you prefer not to be done in the first place but must deny because you know what they can do."

That's when Washout released her victim, who found the strength to speak again. "Hate to repeat? That's a real contradiction where you stand. And the girls are nothing like what you said." Too bad Ms. Keane's words went unheeded.

"Flattery gets you no place. Giving a person too many compliments only puts you inside that dull realm known only as…" Washout had her eyes closed at those words. Opening them again unveiled the teacher's vain escape efforts. It wasn't hard for the villain to pile-drive her unofficial new partner into the ground since Ms. Keane's injuries made her too weak to struggle and too slow to move.

"Let…me…go!"

"I got a job for you! A post! A situation! A task at hand!

"I'd…rather…pass! You can just take-mmph!" Washout placed a hand over Ms. Keane's mouth and got the teacher into a headlock. No one heard the latter cry out anyway, but the former knew better than to risk it.

"Who said you had a choice in the matter?" Before Ms. Keane could utter one more squeak, she absorbed the lone object through her foot. The same supernatural essence then went into overdrive working hard on its next hosts, paralyzing their legs momentarily. Both pairs of limbs molded into whale flukes: Washout; blue and Ms. Keane; orange. "There'll be a wet time in the old town tonight." The teacher looked nervous while the former diving instructor smiled wickedly.

Meanwhile, the girls suspected nothing and instead continued their training session in the park with some calisthenics. A jug of water stood close by for replenishing bodily moisture. Of course, some exercises – rope-jumping in particular – were more playful than others. Having nothing else better to do, the professor decided he'd run laps around the extinct volcano. "No pain, no gain!" Buttercup declared.

"Hey, I didn't know you were a poet!" Bubbles stated.

"No, Bubbles," Blossom explained, "That's just an expression people use to shrug off being tired. Buttercup's feeling stronger. And so do I."

"Oh. Well, me too!"

"Hey, are we due for an eclipse?" Buttercup wondered, pointing at the sky. Everyone fearfully watched a pair of elongated shapes slowly rise above the skyline casting huge shadows on most of the city. Through blinding sunlight, they made out what appeared as green-eyed sperm whales: one blue and the other orange. The blue one had an abnormally large tusk on its snout like a narwhal, whereas the orange boasted a high-angle gun on its back. And if this wasn't all strange enough, each also appeared to have human upper halves pasted on their heads just inches away from the blowholes: Ms Keane on the orange, and Washout on the blue. The PPG recognized who stood on the orange one, but not the blue one.

"Ooh, whales!" Bubbles squealed, "Just like the one I once brought home!"

"That orange one's got a protrusion shaped like Ms. Keane on its head," Blossom noted, "But I don't recognize the other figure."

"Think they wanna sample our training?" Buttercup wondered. After a long silence, the whales opened up their mouths and wasted no time in flooding the city. A simple breath from either one brought a torrential rush down the streets. While everyone else swam their hardest to keep alive, the PPG had it harder and got forced into the sewers. Water flowed strenuously for five more seconds before it drained away and they caught their breath. "Alright. Forget I just asked that."

"Just the moment we expected," Blossom said, "C'mon, let's go show 'em who's boss!" Once back on the surface, the girls started by showing off their recently enhanced flying skills. Whooshes of hot air and methane not only reduced the torrents to steam but also left civilians dry. Next came some real fighting. Blossom tore off a building's spire and engaged the blue whale in a swordfight. "En garde!" Tusk and spire clanged together evenly; whenever the whale attempted blowing water, the redhead froze it solid and broke the resulting mass into ice cubes. "Okay, whale, I want some answers! What's your excuse for this mayhem? Who sent you?" But it only communicated in whale grunts. Blossom then noticed Washout plaster on a wider smile as they both temporarily retreated. "Hey, you! Yeah, the lady mounted on the whale's head! Who are you, and what's this all about? Who sent you?" No matter how much Washout wanted to, she really couldn't answer the little girl's question. Instead, she produced another torrent that buried the 'puff under what felt like several miles of water on the pavement.

Elsewhere in the air, Bubbles and Buttercup seemed just as evenly matched against the orange whale. Not once did Ms. Keane's corrupted expression dissipate no matter how hard a beating the brunette laid on her human portion. The blond grabbed the fluke in an attempt to lower the creature to the ground, a task easier said than done if not for the cannon. One spherical laser round knocked Bubbles silly, and she nearly lost her grip with the wiggling fluke. Upon tightening her mitts again, she subjected herself to more rounds. Finally, all three decided they'd had enough and so retracted. "That's it," Buttercup decided, "No more playing around."

"Ms. Keane, why did you turn to a life of crime?" Bubbles asked. But like Washout before her, Ms. Keane said nothing.

"Silent treatment. This faker must've been born or created without a voice box."

"She could at least play charades." Again, the whale barraged them with its umpteenth torrent. The frown on Ms. Keane's face made it clear she wanted nothing more than to end the conflict. Bubbles and Buttercup held the water back with their mitts all the while taking pressure from the cannon's laser blasts. When the right moment came, they broke through it all and revealed the very essence of their training. Ms. Keane found herself surrounded by featureless blue and green blurs. The whale mouth shot skinny water streams in vain attempts of hitting at least one if not both but naturally missed. As fate would have it, each one pierced Mt. Volcanotop's foundations and instigated a collapse. Only the teacher caught a glimpse of the cracking volcanic neck and the panicking civilians running away. Just when the first rock and metal fragments almost touched down on the first people, more colorful flashes zoomed about and deposited each one in a neat little pile.

"Whew!" one person declared, "That's what I call close!"

"Thanks!" a crowd stated, "We're very grateful…huh?" One look at the responsible saviors surprised the crowd. Three small images recoiled fearfully and then hid amongst the shrubbery. Prof. Utonium moved in closer first.

"Uh, boys?"

Meanwhile, Washout continued her assault on Blossom, who had yet to counterattack. Or did she? Unbeknownst to either the villain or anyone else, the Powerpuff leader had somehow gotten in a deep breath and swam up the torrent into the whale's mouth. Her silhouette blended in with the water, and Washout was too intent on the task at hand to do anything else. Blossom encountered much resistance upon putting her scheme into action but held firm for the most part. Once near the whale's throat, she grabbed the uvula and utterly halted the water. Washout's smirking face turned into perplexity as the whale portion choked. That done, the 'puff flew back outside to administer a stunning blow on the gut. To top it off, Blossom grabbed the fluke and swung it around her head several times before tossing it onto the beach, reversing Washout's mutation.

"There!" Buttercup pointed out. At the same time, she and Bubbles finally got Ms. Keane's whale to pour on its final torrent. The cannons wouldn't help since the girl's eye lasers reduced it to slag. Just as the mammal's belly inflated, the girls grabbed onto the lips and held their tightest. Tremendous water pressure from within persisted, soaking them in a few streams here and there. Ms. Keane's pained expression told all that she couldn't bear it much longer. Finally, the two let go and sent the mutated creature flying around like a balloon losing air. The following watery stream was a sprinkle too harmless to create a pothole, much less wreck Townsville any further. She landed only centimeters away from Washout's side and reverted back to her true self. Before either one had a chance to recollect themselves, a slew of police officers subdued Washout with the girls nearby.

"Ms. Keane!" the female trio cried.

"It was really you the whole time?" Blossom wondered.

"Oh, my head," the teacher groaned, "And my shoulders, legs, belly, and entire self."

"We didn't hit you that hard," Buttercup spoke, "Did we?"

"No," was the response, "That bully interrupted my work, practically kidnapped me, beat me up, and forced me into causing a ruckus." Tears filled Ms. Keane's eyes again. "I couldn't control myself." All other faces shot Washout glares.

"Creeps like you never learn, do ya?" Blossom said, "Oh well."

"Hold the cameras," the villain stammered, "You're not gonna hear my life story over? You dare refuse to learn more about me, my life, my plans, everything I ever worked for?"

"Why bother?" Bubbles said, "It's all the same stuff we've heard before."

"Go ahead and take 'er away," Buttercup permitted.

"HOLD THE CAMERAS!" Washout shrieked, hurting all eardrums around, "That is to say, cease and desist at once! Sure I, the evil Washout, wanted to drown the entire world and make everything aquatic, but there exists a good story behind it. Yes, I did say good. Even though good is not who I am, I carry the story out in a fashion that follows the term with ease. It's an epic you all can't refuse. A novel. An achievement. A fine piece of spoken art."

"Oh, knock off the Mojo-wannabe phase and spill the beans," Buttercup demanded, "What story?"

"I heard about the incidents with the fireball and the Gangrene Gang attending your class at Pokey Oaks Kindergarten. Simple, right? I kidnapped the nitwit in order to help unleash her true nature as the villain she refuses to admit she is. I wanted to harness this very criminal energy to manipulate it for my own purposes, which required that I kidnap her. She made her students go outside when the weather clearly wasn't meant for any acts of going outside to. She made them suffer heatstroke and claimed it wasn't her fault when she's the one who made them suffer in the first place. Her persistence is admirable, but the fact being she's lacking in the conformity department required I beat the denial out and beat the concurrence in."

"So you made her go along with your plan," Blossom summed up.

"Very good! That is to say, your perceptions are sharp enough than a butter knife to butter in the kitchen where the dairy product most likely resides. But if that wasn't big enough, the teacher let the Gangrene Gang toss globs of paste and balls at all you children and do more nasty things that make me feel all warm inside. The fact being they undoubtedly made much noise really defies coincidence. The evidence was stacked up against your Ms. Keane yet she continued denying that which lay before her very senses."

"Are you saying you did us and our friends a big favor?" Bubbles questioned.

"Not necessarily," Washout concluded, "I just wanted to take a page out of her book."

It wasn't until the disgusted cops towed the villain away that Ms. Keane immediately broke down. "She's right! I am an awful teacher for doing those things!" More tears soaked the pavement

"Ms. Keane, that's not true," Blossom said.

"Yes, it is! You were there! I should've listened sooner, and I'm sorry!"

"There, there," Bubbles comforted, "We forgive you. C'mon, you need some help." The girls watched other officials guide the teacher to a medical cab. She quickly turned back for one more statement.

"Oh, girls? I'm also sorry if I almost hurt anyone when I wrecked that volcano."

Huh? Did those last three words come out right? Wasn't Prof. Utonium near Mt. Volcanotop from what the girls last recalled? "Professor!" Pink, light-blue, and light-green streaks flew back to the park; the trio expected seeing people in intensive care but instead landed in the middle of a well-off crowd.

"Hey, girls!" the professor greeted, "Everything turn out-whoa!" The frantic PPG knocked him off his feet onto the pavement and began searching him over while shooting rapid-fire commentary like 'Are you damaged too badly?' and 'Want me to check your pulse?'. "Wait a minute, wait a minute!" They calmed down and let him stand back up. "Yes, I'm just fine. Everything turned out well, I take it?"

"Yep," Buttercup answered, "We not only sent a Mojo impersonator to jail but also saved Ms. Keane. She accidentally destroyed the mountain. Say, why isn't anyone hurt?"

In response, the professor knelt a tad close at the shrubbery. Three sets of familiar eyes stared back nervously. "You can come out now, boys. Nobody's gonna bite." Out came legs clad in black pants and sneakers, followed by six mitts in differently colored sweatshirts. The girls' anticipation turned into neutrality upon staring unsure counterparts face to face. The RRB could hardly move another inch, much less speak. Silence dominated the entire scene until Blossom broke it first, inspiring thoughtfulness.

"Hey, boys. How's life been treating you?"

"Um…well…we've been better," Boomer answered.

"And to think we wouldn't see you again," Buttercup said, "So, what brings you home?"

"We followed that bad lady all the way here in hopes of maybe stopping her or helping out in any way possible," Brick explained, "Nothing else more."

"Did you find a better life?" Bubbles asked, "Make any friends?"

"No," Butch added, "Still masquerading as monks. In fact, we were just on our way out."

"Hold up, boys," Blossom said, she and her sisters pulling them back down by their feet, "What's the hurry? You haven't even settled down yet."

"Don't play coy with us," Brick said, "We know we're not welcome here. Why do you think we spared you the energy for kicking us out and just did it ourselves?"

"Kicking you out? Guys, you never even heard our final answer of the debate. We want you to stay and use your powers to fight evil."

The RRB blinked twice at Blossom's last words. Did she really mean it or was it all too good to be true? In fact, the approving crowd looked a bit creepier than a mountain-sized tapeworm right about now. "Uh, I think I got wax buildup where ears belong," Butch stated, "You sure you're not just joshing us?"

"Every bad thing you did is all in the past," Buttercup reassured, "Fight by our sides, and we'll make Townsville and the rest of the world a safer place."

"After all we've done?" Boomer wondered.

"Hello-ooo," Bubbles chimed, "Buttercup just said it's all in the past, silly. And you did rescind. I learned that from Blossom two days ago, by the way. It's just another way of saying 'kiss and make up', if you know what I mean."

"It's where you belong," Blossom softly put in. All at once, the boys couldn't help giving in to the sincerity emanating from the girls' eyes. Their uncertainty instantly melted into certainty as the girls held out their mitts to make it official. "Will you join us?" That did it. Both boys and girls smiled confidently while exchanging handshakes. The crowd cheered, and Prof. Utonium loomed over the trios with admiration.

"Say, we never even got your names," Boomer stated, immediately diverting his attention towards his counterpart, "You must be…er…"

"Bubbles."

"Yeah, that's it."

"I'm Buttercup."

"I'm Blossom."

"And you already know our names," Butch said.

"So, we're finally in good with everyone?" Brick wondered.

"Finally?" the professor said, "Why, you've been in good with Townsville the whole time!" (The girls had told him everything about the good/bad RRB incident.)

"Can they come live with us?" Bubbles asked.

"Of course!"

"You mean it?" Butch asked, "A place for us?"

"I sure do. We've got plenty of room."

"Yippee!" the kids cheered.

For the remainder of the afternoon, the PPG gave the RRB a sort of show-and-tell presentation of home and belongings. Blossom let Brick sample her entire novel collection in exchange for giving his book on cats and samurais a peek. Bubbles and Boomer not only showed each other their stuffed animals but also set Octi and Spouts up in a private corner to create a fourth cute couple. Buttercup and Butch sparred another side of beef together while showing off yo-yo tricks. Come evening, all six amused themselves in the yard by tossing around a medicine ball in further celebration. Not only did the professor set the boys up in an unused room, but they'd also attend Pokey Oaks Kindergarten with the girls tomorrow. A half hour must've passed before the latter noticed an uneasy silence in the former. In fact, they also appeared in deep thought about who knew what. Now Bubbles broke the silence first. "Hey, guys. What's wrong?"

"Hm?" Boomer said, "Nothing's wrong."

"Well, you have been pretty silent for half an hour," Buttercup added, "What's on your minds?"

The boys exchanged uneasy glances; they could no longer hold it in. Rather than blush along, the PPG now wondered why their new allies made a certain mitt-to-cheek motion again. Brick's next words expressed the answer quite nicely. "Okay. If you must know, we're in love with you."

"Love, huh?" Blossom said, "As in 'more than friends'?"

"Yeah," Boomer put in, "Can we help it? Those kisses you gave us were the sweetest thing we ever experienced in our lives, even if they destroyed us. No one else taught us anything about emotions."

"But if you don't care, we understand," Butch finished, "We're not ones to pressure others into doing things they don't wanna."

The girls exchanged quick looks before facing the boys and providing a statement they only heard in past dreams. "Aw, we don't mind," Bubbles said.

"You don't?" Boomer wondered.

"Of course not," Blossom explained, "So we're all only this young. No big deal."

"Really?" Brick wondered.

"Really," Buttercup added, "We just weren't sure if you guys felt the same way."

"Do we ever!" the lovestruck boys exclaimed, returning a kiss on each respective counterpart's face. At that, the girls felt the same rapture they hadn't felt since sampling the mayor's special candy. The boys appeared nervous at the giggling, floating upward, descending like falling leaves, and basking in the pleasure.

"Uh, are you okay?" Butch asked.

"Never…better," the girls breathlessly chorused. And the boys smiled along.

The End


	10. My Unfair Lady

Stillness disguised the heavy exertion expressed by simulated training at the Utonium home. In three days' time following Washout and Ms. Keane's whale-based rampage, the RRB adjusted pretty well around Townsville. The PPG knew better than anyone else that having them turn good saved effort of creating another oversized sibling or a bunch of mechanical knockoffs. It was only natural the boys fumbled at Level 3 since they'd never used the machine before. Not only that, but their previous inactive period drained away their fighting skills. Each X-creation took turns in the simulation room, alternating between individual and group sessions. As the boys practiced, the girls used their current respite to discuss recent events. Blossom held some papers for her and her sisters' viewing needs. "I got these medical reports from the hospital and Townsville Correctional. So far, Washout has shown no side effects. Also, she lost her powers completely when defeated. No trace remains."

"They were too easy," Buttercup said, "How about the Smiths?"

"Kunlun phoned yesterday. She and Sonny check up on the Smiths ever so often. She told me that they're all pretty much healthy themselves." Blossom set the papers down on a countertop.

"And for all this fighting, we still don't know why Threetails is doing this," Bubbles said.

"Or if she's doing it purposefully or accidentally," Buttercup added.

"Yes we do," Blossom contradicted, "After all we've seen so far, we can most certainly say Threetails is giving out superpowers on accident. Haven't you paid attention to her style? She's never played nice with the other villains even once. At least, I don't think so."

"What about the Intrepatuff Girls?" Bubbles wondered, "Don't they count as villains?"

"I'm not sure. So far, the only bad thing they've done is traumatize three people. Actually, they've been pretty quiet since Threetails destroyed the African Piquant."

"I just hope we have the advantage with six to three if we meet 'em again," Buttercup put in, "Even if Townsville's machinery came on after two hours of shutdown, I can still feel their Razzle-Dazzle move."

Only the professor paid close attention to what occurred in the simulation room. Everything flowed along nicely until Level 5, which featured three female crooks. The RRB couldn't bring themselves to do any actual fighting as they did trapping the opponents instead. However, the various attempts – melting stone and metal into a dome-shaped cage; firing hand beams to create a sort of 'island'; and blocking off all exits – neither harmed the crooks nor stopped them. Before long, the RRB exited from a failed mission. The PPG didn't shoot off questions and comments until Prof. Utonium gave them inspiration. He could just tell the boys preferred skipping the subject. "Ummm, how'd we do today in general?" Boomer asked.

"You're definitely getting your touch back," the professor answered, "I bet nobody can wait to see you show off again."

"Glad to hear it," Butch said, "So, what's for lunch?"

"You guys are in quite a hurry," Blossom commented, "Where's your fighting spirit? Didn't you do well?"

"Not quite," the professor continued, "You girls weren't paying attention, but the boys failed Level 5. They hardly put up an effort against their computerized opposition; seemed more like trapping than fighting."

"Trapping?" Buttercup commented, unpleased, "You mean you didn't even throw a single punch or kick?" The boys nodded, feeling bashful. "Aw, that's no fun."

"But you did so well the last we remember," Bubbles protested, "Are you that far behind?"

"Eh, you could put it that way," Brick answered, feeling uncomfortable about lying or truth-telling. Naturally, no one bought it. The disbelieving PPG and professor stared down upon uneasy RRB wanting an explanation. Who were they fooling anyhow? At least what happened next unwittingly saved them the trouble.

"Actually, it's gonna hafta wait," Blossom said, placing a mitt on her belly, "I'm hungry." Everyone else felt their own stomachs as well and so went upstairs, nearly forgetting the previous topic.

"Not sure I can take much more of this," Azalea commented, "We've been standing in this one spot too long." Inside Threetails' hideout, the ITG continued anxiously staring up at the demon in question. From their position, there was almost no telling how much time passed them by. That meant the young trio knew nothing of the various happenings, either: new superpowered individuals, the PPG going back to training, the RRB returning home, etc. Only Threetails could produce interdimensional windows to see things in the outside world, but her current condition disabled it. And the ITG dared not leave her side very long. They'd brought meals, toys, pillows, and blankets into the living room and took turns watching for signs of change. With no changes in their superior's state, Azalea grew uneasy.

"And we'll keep standing," Tuesday said, "She's our mistress, Azalea. We must respect her."

"But it's been like this for several days. All we ever do is stand here, eat, sleep, use the bathroom, bathe, play with our toys, and then do the same all over again. We don't train anymore, and we don't get any fresh air. I feel limp as a rag."

"You forgot cleaning up our messes," Penny pointed out, "But you do make a good point." Tuesday shot her a dirty look. "Errr…that is, you make a good point too."

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," the yellow 'tuff continued, "If not for the mistress, we wouldn't be where we are today. Why, we wouldn't even be alive. And this is her thanks for raising us into mighty warriors?"

Azalea eyed her sister with determination and near apathy. "If you think about it, we're not really doing much just standing here. For all we know, she'll remain asleep forever unless someone gets the two pieces of her heart back. I doubt whoever it possessed won't just hand it over without a fight. I repeat, think about it."

Tuesday returned the same sternness. "What're you saying?"

"Maybe we don't need to associate with anyone, but we could at least take on an undercover mission. Those heart halves couldn't've gone far. Come on now. You can't tell me you don't wanna get out for a good stretch."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The brown 'tuff gave her sisters, who flinched from stretching backs and limbs, an irked look. Like the RRB, they just couldn't feign ignorance.

"Uh huh. Sure you don't."

"I guess we have been inside for quite a while," Penny shyly admitted, "And 'ugh' and 'ook' are the only things we heard from the mistress' mouth before she went beddy-bye. Can we, Tuesday?"

The sister in question eyed the ever-slumbering Threetails, not knowing what to do. Because of lacked training, the risk of running into something beyond there control had grown a bit high. Was searching for the heart really worth it? Was it a good idea to just leave their mistress alone with certain danger? Like her pink-clad counterpart to the Pro Excellence 2000 golf clubs, Tuesday found herself officially stuck in indecision. Search or stay? Pressure made her eyes go out of focus. The entire room swirled in a blurry jumble: the yellow 'tuff, Threetails, walls, ceiling, floor, belongings, and sunlight from the hideout's secret entrance. "Huh?" she said, snapping out of the trance. Through the opening, she saw the other two staring back down.

"You coming?" Penny called.

"Wait for me!" Tuesday gave Threetails one last look before joining Penny and Azalea seated upon the grassy scene. "You know I hate it when you do that."

"Of course. That's why we did it." Penny giggled at her own statement, noticing something shiny the next moment. "Hey, look!"

All eyes turned in the same direction. Making sure nobody else was looking, the ITG curiously floated towards the source and found what looked like three shiny glass objects tightly packed down and almost completely hidden. After they brushed away the extra soil, out floated more orbs. Each girl observed an orb matching their eyes and dresses float up to their chests as if awaiting them. "Whaddaya know," Azalea said, "Three of the mistress' orbs stayed behind."

"And they match our colors, too," Penny added, "Think it's safe to touch them?"

"I couldn't say," Tuesday guessed, "The mistress told us they'd grant superpowers at random: wild or controlled." Exchanging uneasy looks, the ITG grabbed and held those orbs gently while waiting for impending disaster or other. But nothing noteworthy happened; rather than absorb into hosts' skin like the previous eight, one might say these three served the girls the way they did Threetails. Breathing a relieved sigh, each 'tuff hid her respectively colored orb in her belt.

"Guess that answers that question," Azalea stated, "We gonna use 'em any time soon?"

"Not yet," Tuesday said, assuming her role as leader, "Let's just save 'em for emergency. In the meantime, we got ourselves a split organ to track down."

"But what if somebody catches us?" Penny reminded.

"So we'll disguise ourselves. Follow me." The ITG then soundlessly flew far above the grassy plain, even farther above Townsville, and into the neighboring forest. Anyone who felt the whooshing motion dismissed it as either the PPG or RRB on an airborne stroll; they were too blurry for the naked eye to catch.

Lunch at the Utonium house passed with little fuss. For a while, it appeared everyone forgot about ordeals of the previous training session. The PPG and the professor even learned how Washout arrived before the RRB. It turns out the former diving instructor hitched a ride on a cargo plane to Townsville, knocking down much travel time. And with no other planes in service, no money, and not wanting to risk possible assault, the boys rode on a cargo train instead. No one mentioned the moral implications involved. Near the end of mealtime, however, the boys recalled their previous uneasiness downstairs once the girls brought up Threetails and the ITG once more. Nothing within today's frame was the first time; they'd been pretty nervous hearing about it on their first day of school. Ever since they viewed the first fight between PPG and ITG and Threetails' first appearance, the RRB hoped they'd never make contact with the four. But such an ordeal now seemed inevitable.

After a quick stop upstairs to wash their hands, the girls floated down into the boys' room for a chat. Dark-blue walls and ceiling; tri-colored blanket of dark-green, red, and dark-blue; bed headboard with the initials 'RRB'; and three small square windows distinguished it from their room. Only the furniture arrangement and beige carpet acted as similarities. Brick was brushing up on conversational Portuguese, Boomer busied himself drawing with colored pencils, and Butch played some adventure game on some handheld console. None noticed the girls' entrance until Bubbles' voice tipped them off. "Hey, boys."

"Hey, girls," Boomer greeted, standing up, "Time for training again?"

"Not quite," Buttercup added, "We gotta talk to you boys a moment."

At that, Brick placed his book down in realization of something else. "Of course! I knew I was forgetting something!"

"What?" the girls asked.

He floated over to his green-clad brother. "Butch, playtime's over. Put that game away this instant."

"How come? We only just got back from lunch. Can't it wait until later?"

"Nope. Since we're living under a roof, we're prone to the domestic responsibilities involved. Come on now."

Butch sighed. "Fine." Following various button pressings and stowing of game and console in the appropriate case, the boys floated up to the girls in anticipation. "So, what's the big emergency?"

"We forgot to help with dishes or laundry, huh?" Brick guessed, "Ugh, I knew it! Well, whatever other chores the professor wants us to perform, we're listening."

"That's not what we came here to talk of," Blossom stated.

"Okay, then," Butch said, "Does that mean I can get back to passing the thirteenth level?"

"But you haven't even listened to what they wanna tell us," Boomer protested.

"It has to do with your training earlier," Buttercup pinpointed, "The professor told us you tried trapping the crooks instead of nailing them. What's the deal? Why didn't you guys put up more of a fight?"

The boys looked down at the carpet modestly, kicking up bits of lint. "Aw, we couldn't tell you that," Brick said, "It's nothing, really. Just some…errr…"

"Yes you can," Bubbles said, "We're all friends here, we won't laugh."

"But that's just it. Those were just ladies in the simulation. We have to respect them."

"Oh, come on," Buttercup said, "We're all superpowered beings. No villain can top the six of us if we work together. What's being a guy or lady got anything to do with it?"

"Easy for you to say," Boomer replied, "You are ladies, you can hit anyone you want. No one expects you to…to…"

"Uphold morals for the opposite gender," Butch finished, "Sorry we couldn't be of much help like we wanted."

"Uh, well…" Blossom began. But the professor's calling voice delayed any chances of responding to the current isolated dilemma.

"Kids! Emergency!"

Once they all arrived in the living room, Bubbles accepted the hotline receiver. "Yes? …Uh huh…we're on our way." Upon hanging up, her expression told the boys just what kind of situation laid ahead downtown. "Some bad lady stole a top-secret document from Townsville Hall. Are you boys sure you don't wanna go test yourselves out?"

"Yeah," was the unified response.

"What's this all about?" the professor asked.

"The guys can't bring themselves to hit females," Blossom explained, "That's also why they did poorly on Level 5. Morals, you know?"

"Oh, I see."

"Can we just sit this one out?" Brick requested.

"Sure thing," Buttercup said, "Once again, we respect your decision. We'll do fine."

"Thanks," the boys chorused a second time, watching the girls fly away.

No one was exempt from the urban conflict stretching from Townsville Hall to the park. Some Femme Fatale wannabe – white jumpsuit; long red hair; blue skier's mask; and a shotgun having no special shape – chased a trio through the park to take them hostage. If not for disguises made of branches, leaves, old cloth scraps, and mud, she wouldn't've even dreamed about using the ITG for such means. Yes indeed, Threetails' own X-creations manipulated resources from the Lumkins residence and the forest to camouflage themselves as regular people. Seeing the shack and volcano reduced to rubble really provided something to think about. Just what kind of fight did their mistress put up obtaining those required power sources? How did she obtain them? In fact, an old newspaper showing the dropped crime rate advanced the mystery all the more further. Where did Mojo, Fuzzy, and a whole slew of wrongdoers disappear to? Could Threetails have pulled off the same traumatizing stunts she had her girls impose on Femme Fatale and the Morebucks? Whatever happened, the ITG were plenty suspicious.

At least they now knew the true extent of the demon's various orbs. Noticing the previous eight hosts in that same newspaper, the trio put two and two together. Though, it never told who got possessed by the halves of Threetails' heart; maybe the eight held clues, but it could've been anyone. Disguising themselves as normal people sounded like a decent enough idea since no one gave average individuals a second look too often. Rather than take up arms against the crook for fear of exposure and wasting precious time for scavenging, Tuesday insisted they run instead. "What're we running for?" Azalea puffed, "I ain't afraid of no stupid jerk."

"I'm working on it as we speak," Tuesday replied, "Just keep running!"

"You can't keep this up forever!" the crook yelled, missing every gunshot, "You three and I are going places!"

"Why is she chasing us?" Penny wondered, "Aren't there plenty of people to take hostage?"

"Here it comes!" Tuesday pointed out, ignoring the last question. Come the right moment, the ITG leapt into a wall of brush which the crook abruptly stopped and fired at it, leaving only charred black twigs behind. She did a double-take at the trio's absence.

"Impossible! They couldn't've escaped that quickly!" Eyes widening, the crook peeked behind and saw who else but the unpleased PPG. She smiled nervously. "Eh, heh heh…nice day, isn't it?"

"Yeah, a nice day to go to jail," Blossom responded, administering a sock in the gut that sent the poor sap flying into a tree's foliage. Not surprisingly, it was the same one the ITG hid within. An emitted argument made it plenty clear Threetails' underlings hadn't expected the intrusion.

"Hey, what's the idea?" came Azalea's voice, "This is our hiding spot!"

"It's not like I landed here on purpose!" the crook stammered, "Wait a second! **I** remember you!"

"Shove over!" Penny demanded, "I'm getting cramped up here!"

"Girls, be quiet!" Tuesday loudly whispered, "Somebody'll hear us! And would somebody please move over? My hair's all caught up!"

"So is mine!" the crook continued.

"What about my arms and legs?" Penny whined.

"Four's a crowd!" Azalea chimed, "Lady, you better beat it this instant before I rearrange your facial features!" The PPG only stared on curiously as the foliage rumbled back and forth like kittens and puppies trying to escape from a burlap bag. More indistinct complaints and snapped branches preceded the four falling out into a disorderly pile. Azalea picked the crook up by her collar while she and her sisters floated up straight to berate her. Each 'tuff's disguise had fallen off by two-thirds. "Get up! Get up!"

"Lemme go!" the crook pleaded, "Lemme go!"

Tuesday held the adult next. "You dummy, you ruined our disguises!"

"Excuse me," Bubbles announced. All four heads faced the PPG, unpleased once more and arms folded. Knowing what this meant, Penny grabbed the crook last to conclude the berating.

"This is all your fault! We waited a whole week to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, and you come and ruin it!"

A simple toss aside alleviated the crook's indecision. Caught up in confused humiliation, she instinctively ran towards the nearest cops in preparation for accepting a jail sentence. Even when the ITG stared the PPG firmly, the orbs within the former's belts remained ever static. Loathe as anyone might feel admitting it, both sides actually liked this opportunity to take a second crack at each other. Who knows, maybe the PPG would put up a greater challenge this time. An aerial viewpoint showed them in some new maze-like array of flora. Tuesday broke the nine-second silence first. "Let's just forget that distraction, okay?"

"Done," Blossom decided, "Now before we wail on you for whatever wrong deed you've committed, what's your story this time?"

"None of your business," Azalea retorted, "We haven't done anything wrong today."

"Oh no?" Buttercup put in, "No more sneak attacks? No more impersonating us?"

"Past history," Penny stated.

"Is that so?" Bubbles said, "Then what have you been doing?"

"Nothing that could snap us out of boredom like a second round between our sides," Azalea said, punching her mitts together, "How 'bout it?"

"Now yer speaking my language," Buttercup admitted, also punching mitts together. No one standing on ground level or beneath saw what full-scale brawl made sparks fly that afternoon. It was intense enough to literally peel off what remained of the ITG's disguises as well as damage the plant arrangement. Sticks, leaves, grass, and dirt got thrown about the surrounding area which none of them wandered out into even once. What began as an even match soon winded down once the PPG soon gained the upper hand.

"Ha!" Blossom stated, "You're losing!"

"No, we aren't!" Tuesday panted.

"You can't catch me, you can't catch me!" Bubbles teased.

"Why I oughta…" Penny started.

"I'll get you yet," Azalea growled.

"Sure you will," Buttercup smarted, "Looks like you creeps haven't been keeping up with training lately." The ITG knew she spoke the truth but refused to give her the satisfaction. Their concern for their maker changed the schedule in more ways than one. Before long, they found themselves entangled up amongst the branches of a tree yet standing with the PPG looking them over. "I stand corrected."

"You mean float, don't you?" Bubbles corrected.

"Never mind, Bubbles."

"Now have you three learned your lesson?" Blossom questioned.

Although the ITG did not respond, their near-sullen expressions spoke buckets full. Threetails was the only parental figure they ever had in their short lives despite her aura of secrecy. Today was supposed to be a simple hunt for the two pieces of her heart so she'd stop suffering. What else could they do? The demon's protective barrier had no doubt weakened in the process; Him or some other hidden force might take advantage of it. Plus, Threetails never yet showed them how to function the simulation room. One slip-up from training would undoubtedly cause irreversible damage. At present, there existed no way of getting back home without revealing the domicile's hidden entrance. "Are you just gonna sit there all day?" Buttercup questioned.

Azalea looked in Tuesday's direction as if encouraging important orders while Penny covered her mouth in curiosity. Defeated, the yellow-clad leader sighed and nodded yes. The three then flew up towards the sun, silhouetted against it and withdrawing from their belts all at the same time. Filtering out the bright sunlight, the PPG felt suspicious upon getting a closer look of the new three orbs. "Uh oh," Blossom began, "I got a bad feeling about those orbs."

"Orbs?" Bubbles wondered, "Hey, wait a second! You don't suppose…?"

"C'mon!" the pink 'puff interrupted, naturally leading the procession. But as usual, it was too late. The ITG slammed those orbs into their own chests, instigating a chain reaction hidden by an even brighter glow. And when it faded, out came mutated versions of the three: bulked-up torsos, arms, chests, and heads; sharp teeth; slit-shaped pupils and irises; outstretched mandibles; spikes on their arms; smaller eyes; and hair more ragged-looking than usual.

"Yeesh," Buttercup said, "Now they look like something out of a bad drawing." In response, the ITG stopped grunting long enough to drive the PPG into the ground all the way to the street. Massive mitts formed semi-massive craters upon impact when administering punches. All sorts of blasts bounced off of the mutated X-creations' hides. Physical hits resulted in bent-up limbs, much like the experience with the fish balloon. Primal instincts gave the ITG no other desire than to literally break their opponents' bodies. This no doubt explained why Tuesday felt hesitant about harnessing those orbs to begin with.

"What're we gonna do?" Bubbles wailed, "They're too tough!"

"I'm flat out of ideas!" Blossom said, "Morality or not, the boys better get their rears over here this instant!"

In the meantime, the RRB sat out on the sidewalk not knowing how to respond. What started out as a simple game of catch around the yard died upon viewing the second half of the fight (beginning with the mutation, of course). Like everybody else, the boys saw and heard it all clear as day. Their ever-present despondent attitudes barred any similar shock the PPG felt. Blossom's last words motivated nothing more than a shared sigh. "Feeling down in the dumps, huh?" came another adult voice.

The boys looked up and met Sara Bellum's gaze, who promptly sat down next to them. "Oh, hi Miss Bellum," Brick greeted, "Nice to see you today." As the most mature of them, like his pink female equivalent, the red 'ruff found it just as easy warming up to the mayor's assistant. Sara really knew where she was going.

"Likewise, Brick. Boys, why aren'tcha helping the girls?"

"You really wanna know?" Boomer asked.

"Of course. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't care."

"Morality issues," Butch explained, "Even if we can take those bad girls no sweat, we must respect females. We'd hafta be lowlives all over again to go and smack around a girl rotten or not."

"Ah, I see. I get what's going on here. You absolutely sure about those claims?"

"Positive," Brick answered, "We can't break our promise."

"Well, that does sound very noble and polite of you boys. Such is very rare nowadays. Maybe not now, but there will be times in life when you must make sacrifices for the ones you care deeply about." Not knowing how to respond, the boys only looked on as Sara stood back up in preparation to leave. "Personally, I think that so-called etiquette is nothing more than an insult to us women. It's basically like saying we're pitiful weaklings." The RRB calmly jolted. "But, that's just my opinion. I won't force you to think otherwise. Try to have a nice day." Sara left them alone to ponder these ideas, although the glint in her eye might make someone think she knew better.

Nothing much changed back on the battlefield. Sprawled on the pavement, the PPG were ready to throw in the towel by now. Overcome by pure evil, the ITG stomped towards their respective counterparts in preparation for concluding the fight. While this happened, the RRB grew all the more nervous with every passing second. Brick chewed on his cap. Boomer furiously rubbed his hair as if smoothing out hair gel. Butch's knees wouldn't quit rumbling. At the sound of the 'puffs gagging from the 'tuffs grabbing their throats, the 'ruffs could finally take no more. "That does it!" Butch announced, "Girl or not, nobody's hurting our girls!"

"I hear ya, bro!" Brick agreed.

"Let's go help!" Boomer concluded. With nothing left to lose, that's just what they did. The PPG's faces turned purple from lack of oxygen while blurry sight faded into blackness. However, things began reversing when the ITG felt the RRB smack into them with the same lack of effect. And while the mutated ones pondered the ordeal, the other two groups spent time retreating temporarily.

"Glad you finally came through for us," Bubbles commented, "What made you change yer minds?"

"Let's just say it took a very reliable source to help us realize our selfishness and misdemeanor," Brick answered.

"Oh, I can guess who," Blossom said, smiling at the familiar glint in his eyes.

"Can you ever forgive us?" Butch pleaded.

"On the condition you help us take these three out," Buttercup bargained.

"You know it," Boomer acknowledged. So began the fight's final round. Of course, the PPG and RRB were off to an embarrassing start via bouncing off their opposition.

"Wait a minute!" Blossom realized, all six grouping together once more, "We're out of rhythm, people. Let's attack our counterparts together."

"My sentiments exactly!" Brick agreed. Each pair floated high up, stood back to back, linked arms, and spun around. Not waiting to see the next step, the ITG flew towards them in a furious yet lame attempt to land another massive punch. However, bright colorful cyclones stripped them of successful opportunity by pile-driving them around in the air. Neither Tuesday nor Penny nor Azalea avoided a following slam against each other's backs, although they remained far from defeated. Light Breath met the Ice Breath/Fire Breath helix head-on. Sonic Groove stood as a dome against Sonic Scream and Sonic Clap on either side. Energy Whip didn't touch Energy Spheres or Energy Halos even once, and vice versa (or the casters for that matter). As this all occurred, the ITG never noticed themselves revert back to normal until they eventually stared their opponents down.

"Figures," Tuesday commented, "Those orbs were only temporary."

"Now it's fair," Bubbles stated.

"You call this a fair fight?" Azalea said, "Six against three?"

"Well, you were more than enough for me and my sisters the first time around," Buttercup reasoned, "Why should numbers matter much? Oh yeah, that's right: You've slacked in training."

"For your information, our mistress is ill," Tuesday explained, "We were out searching for a cure until that idiot crook bungled it all up."

"So, you're the Rowdyruff Boys: Brick, Boomer, and Butch," Penny said, deviating from the original topic, "We thought you left."

"Yeah, but now we're here to stay," Brick informed.

"Say, how did you know our names?" Butch asked.

"I told them, of course," came a familiar, disappointed voice from thin-air.

"Who's that?" Boomer wondered.

"Mistress?" Azalea said.

"Intrepatuffs! I don't recall ordering you to engage those cretins in battle!" A black vortex opened up in the sky and vacuumed the nervous ITG into who knew where. The other X-creations attempted following but came up short. Trepidation rang loud, but they let it slide.

"Oh well," Bubbles shrugged, "We can get 'em another time, I guess."

"Did that voice belong to Threetails?" Butch wondered.

"I guess so," Buttercup assumed, "But it sure sounded a lot different from the voice we last remember."

"Eh, never mind that," Brick said, peering towards the mess in the park, "Let's just help clean that up and get home. We've only a couple hours before the food fair begins."

Whereas the PPG and RRB had a smooth evening to make up for the rough day, the ITG's evening was anything but. Azalea and Tuesday stared head-on arguing about the day while Penny silently felt sadness over their senselessness blanket her. From the argument's outlook, they must've forgotten the orbs. "I told you it was a bad idea!" Tuesday began.

"Well, it was a lot better than just standing around doing nothing!"

"Nothing? Azalea, what's become of your respect for Mistress Threetails? You know darn well she's ill-stricken due to losing her heart! What if someone invaded and took advantage of her?"

"Nobody's invaded even once, not even that stupid lobster!"

"At least my heart was in the right place!"

"Oh, so you never make a mistake? We could've pounded that crook into oatmeal, but no! You insisted we put on some dumb disguises, run around like weaklings, get a dirt tan in the process, and let the Powerpuff Girls and their 'boyfriends' walk all over us!"

"Well, I sure as cake didn't hear you come up with any plans!"

"Plans shmans! Do you even know how to run this team?"

"Actually, she does," Threetails spoke, fading into view. At both sight and sound, all three girls fearfully coiled into fetal positions. Tuesday and Penny watched as the fed-up demon loomed over Azalea and wondered what would happen next. "Tell me, child. Do you recall me giving orders to go out and do anything else?"

"Uh…uhhh…"

"That says it all. Haven't you ever stopped to think why your sister is leader? No you haven't. It's because she's very smart; she knows what to do. I may not have been able to say anything before my nap, but she made it painfully clear what I desired." Threetails grabbed Azalea and slammed her into a wall back first, knocking out the breath. "We can't have any disobedience around here, now can we? You've been growing repellent in the past several weeks, something I can easily remedy. Once and for all, I'll teach you NOT TO LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT MY CONSENT!" She then tossed her paralyzed underling into the opposite wall, creating a hole in the process. With an aching head, Azalea glanced up to meet the approaching Threetails' gaze. Tuesday and Penny were rather shocked by this display, so the former attempted reasoning.

"Uh, Mistress? That really wasn't necessary. I had this situation under control."

Threetails quickly shot a dirty look and spoke threateningly. "Would you like to join her?"

"Mmmm…"

"Good." Threetails glanced back toward the redhead and changed her tone. "Is that understood?"

"D-don't hurt m-m-me…"

"Yes or no?"

"Y-yes! I w-won't f-fail y-y-you ag-g-g-gain!"

"See that you don't." Floating towards her own bedroom, the demon provided calm commands before passing through the door. "All of you clean up the living room and yourselves, then get to bed." Once they made sure she vanished completely, the other two went to their sister's aid.

The cleanup and first-aid sessions were pretty much history. But the ITG, Azalea in particular due to the bump on the back of her head, couldn't fall asleep just yet. Questions of today's discoveries resulted in great insomnia, though none measured up to Threetails' callous discipline. It wasn't the first time they saw her act this way; she just never directed it towards them. The brown 'puff laid on a cold water pack on her pillow. "Hey, Tuesday, why'd you stand up for me?" she asked.

"Because that's what sisters do," was the response, "Personally, I don't think the mistress should've slammed you around like that. It wasn't necessary."

"Do you suppose the metamorphosis went to her head?" Penny wondered, holding Quill close, "Maybe she choked on the stone, or it tasted nasty?"

"I'd rather not think about it, Penny," Tuesday continued, "Azalea, now do you realize the meaning of our existence? Will you now take her word for it?"

"Yeah, yeah. I just wish I could get to sleep, if not for this bump on my head."

"Here," Penny offered, handing over her stuffed pineapple, "Quill always comforts me when I can't sleep. You need her more than me right now, at least until you feel all better."

"Eh, thanks," Azalea shrugged, reluctantly accepting the toy.

In her bedroom, Threetails witnessed the conversation through another interdimensional window but did nothing. Those girls are getting soft, she thought bitterly. Several days' worth of sleep apparently changed things for the worse. Only Threetails knew what instigated the nap and loss of heart. She wasn't quite used to taking in energy from mortal creatures even if Mojo's essence did help a bundle. Why the chimp? Why not someone like maybe Sedusa or Fuzzy Lumkins. Neither one was what someone would call human; the pink fur ball had quite a delirious pent-up rage himself. Answer: criminal rank based on public opinion. Due to his constant deeds, only Mojo Jojo came close to true infernal fiendishness. Everyone else was just plain dirt. Threetails immediately let out a pork-based belch courtesy of absorbing the Salami Swami before going into meditation. One way or another, she'd locate her heart and take it back.

The End


	11. Oh Dear

Note: This story takes place in the same evening as my previous story 'My Unfair Lady'. Some of it was inspired by my least favorite class this college quarter, anthropology. Sorry I couldn't make this piece longer.

"Hold still, Bubbles," Blossom instructed, "This is a very delicate procedure." Tonight would truly stand out as an exciting night for everyone in wake of today's troubles. An anthropology club downtown received approval from the mayor for a food fair of diversified proportions. People in and out of Townsville planned on attending. Various ethnic groups – Native American, Hungarian, Kenyan, etc. – were all welcome. Expediently, it was being held at a convention center on the outskirts of town, much farther than the calamity earlier could affect in the least. Fears of cancellation died in seconds flat. No one had time to think about how horrible a time the Intrepatuff Girls might currently be having at present (not that anyone did anyway). Why, the Powerpuff Girls were far too distracted with the thrill of spending true quality time with the Rowdyruff Boys. A simple plan, really: go to the food fair, lose the professor in the crowd, and then break up into respective pairs. Like Threetails to her heart, the girls and boys were plenty determined to romantically come together at any cost.

And why shouldn't they? So what if they were all only kindergarten-age? No one ever said they needed comply with every unwritten rule around. Even before the boys returned a smooch the evening they returned home, just placing a mitt on the smooched sections of their cheeks made their feelings blatantly clear. And before that, Bubbles temporarily admitted her own true feelings first when Him resurrected them. Buttercup and Blossom no doubt felt the same but couldn't admit it at the time, especially the former. The returned kiss certainly confirmed all feelings. In any case, tonight was the night to advance. All three girls currently wore flowing dresses in their respective hues. Blossom added finishing touches on a shaky Bubbles' dress while Buttercup anxiously looked up at the starry sky. "Can you believe it?" Bubbles declared, "First the three of us are growing up, then we're making friends out of enemies, and now we and the boys are going on a date! Our very first date!"

"Well, almost. It's not really a date, just dinner."

"Ah, you don't know what yer talking about," Buttercup disagreed. But Blossom just ignored her.

"Bubbles, could you please hold still? I can't finish if you keep moving like that."

"Sorry, Blossom. I just can't wait until we get out."

"Don't worry. Good things come to those who wait…annnnnd, done." Blossom stood back up and placed the needles and remaining string on the desk. Bubbles quickly looked herself over while the other two joined her.

"So, are we all set?" Buttercup inquired.

"I hope so," Blossom said.

"Yep!" Bubbles confirmed, "We're ready for anything. C'mon!" The girls discussed their supposed date as they levitated downstairs, paying little attention to their surroundings. "What're you two gonna do on your dates?"

"I think I'm gonna learn Butch a thing or two about Arabic," Buttercup replied, "It's been a while since any of us used it, and he really needs more hobbies or somethin'."

"That's teach," Blossom corrected, "You're gonna teach him Arabic."

"Aw, skip it. Anyway, what're you doing, Blossom?"

"I've been meaning to discuss the various trials in our lives with Brick a while now. How 'bout you, Bubbles?"

"I don't know," was the answer, "Whatever happens, I just want me and Boomer to have a nice time together and no meanies ruining it."

"Hey, girls!" came three surprise-invoking voices. A quick glance to the right revealed the boys wearing tuxedos naturally in their respective hues (Brick still wore his cap). All six enthusiastic cuties inspected each other over.

"You look so dandy in those suits," Bubbles complimented.

"Yeah, you girls look pretty yourselves," Butch returned. That's when Prof. Utonium came downstairs wearing his usual black tuxedo and stood before them. He'd learned from previous experiences how to manipulate his time properly for such occasions (i.e. hair spray on his head instead of armpits, flower in the button hole, etc). No snoops required extra minders as to how much the seven would enjoy themselves tonight.

"Everyone ready?" he asked.

"You bet!" they chorused.

No one said a word upon stepping into the family minivan, which the professor had recently traded in his old car for. All through the trip, he felt excited about trying so many different new foods and paid little attention to the passengers. Speaking of which, the seating arrangement went like so:

Prof. Utonium

Buttercup – Butch – Blossom

Bubbles – Boomer – Brick

To make the trip go faster, the couples couldn't help socializing ahead of time. Buttercup playfully flicked Butch's hairdo, making him crack a tiny smile. Of course, every time they exchanged loving glances directly in the eyes, the two looked away blushing while bearing uncomfortable expressions. Boomer fiddled with Bubbles' right pigtail and brought out a slightly larger smile. Though, they smiled nervously whenever turning away from staring eye to eye. Since the leaders couldn't quite meet each other's gaze, Brick instead reached over and caressed Blossom's hair, both clearly caught up like their siblings.

That's not to say the trance made them all completely oblivious. Why, once the convention center came into view, the three hair-fiddlers stopped what they were doing and looked on firm like everyone else. From what one might surmise about the large yellow banner over the doorway and the brightly lighted excitement inside, it looked like an important person's birthday party. Prof. Utonium remained ever ignorant of everything else as he almost drooled at what awaited them. Parking unsurprisingly proved rather difficult, but he found one soon enough. "Okay, kids! Hop out!"

They all barely contained their excitement strolling right through those doors, but they demonstrated patience while waiting in line for tickets. "What'll it be?" the ticket lady asked.

"One adult and six kids please," the professor responded, exchanging money for tickets.

"Alright, one more thing," the lady added, "You had to pay for tickets, but the food's complimentary. Enjoy yourselves."

"Yay!" the kids cheered. Once inside the main room, the seven let other people slide on past them. Stall after stall of foreign cuisines checkered the beige-tiled floor alongside tables and chairs. Each stall vendor worked majestically about his or her work. Some attendees ate quietly, some conversed heavily, and others stuffed themselves like crazy. The professor, Powerpuffs, and Rowdyruffs took in delectable odors all the while filtering out distasteful ones.

"Mm, mm!" Blossom declared, "Smell that pepper!"

"That's the smell of culture," the professor said. His eyes darted towards the left until he found a stall to his liking. "Shall we proceed?"

"Um, Professor? If you don't mind, we'd like to look around on our own for the night. Is that okay?"

"Well, if you say so. Just meet me back here when it's time to go."

"Will do!" the kids acknowledged, watching him disappear. Wordlessly, the new couples stared each other in the face momentarily before grabbing each other's mitts and heading off in separate directions. Boomer and Bubbles noticed found something appealing in the back and so floated straight ahead. Butch and Buttercup figured they'd start off on the right side. And Brick and Blossom headed left a tad farther away from the Professor.

"Mar-…mar-…" Butch pronounced. Both brunettes stood around stalls specializing in Southwestern Asian (A/N: That's Middle Eastern, for the ignorant) and Northern African cuisine. As promised, Buttercup went to work teaching her new boyfriend how to speak Arabic, which he naturally struggled with like her before. A few vendors stared at them not knowing why they just stood in place.

"'Marhaba', Butch," Buttercup aided, "Mar-hah-buh."

"Mar-hah-buh. Marhaba."

"See? You're learning." She gave him an encouraging nudge in the shoulder; both unwittingly floated towards an Egyptian stall. "Okay, next word: 'shookran'. Shook-rin."

"Shook-rin. Shookran."

"Why do you thank me?" came a third voice. The pair looked up at an Egyptian man running the stall. Some vendors wore native garb while others like him were clad in outfits considered the norm for U.S. society. But nobody attending tonight really believed clothing made as much a difference as food.

"Oh, beg pardon," Buttercup explained, "I'm just teaching my boy here how to speak fluent Arabic. Though, we're both rough on the edges."

"I see. You want sandwich?"

"Sounds good!" Butch decided, "What about you, Buttercup?"

"You know it!" In no time flat, the vendor handed them both a rye-based gyro wrapped in cooking paper.

"Shookran!" the two chorused, to which he nodded yes. Butch and Buttercup hadn't as much trouble situating themselves at a table for two as they did removing the yogurt and some vegetables from their food. While eating, the two discussed issues revolving around learning foreign languages. Butch felt rather doubtful.

"This is one mean sandwich. But I'm really not so sure I was cut out to speak another language."

"Oh, Butch, you're doing fine. It's tough at first, but it can be very friendly once you get used to it."

"What's the point of different languages, anyway? Why doesn't everyone just speak English?"

"Because not everyone can speak English. I don't know, that's just the way things are." They then calmly stared eye to eye as if forgetting the subject altogether. Other sounds faded down temporarily as more loving emotions filled the scene. Little much stirred other than eating slowly, until Buttercup broke it first. "Um, yeah, let's talk about something else now. How 'bout that adorable little cowlick of yours?"

Butch smiled. "You really like it?"

"Yeah. That spiky hairdo just wasn't you. You know?"

"I hear ya."

At the very back of the room, Boomer and Bubbles took interest in a stall run by Native Americans from Belize. What surprised them was not how the stall was designed but the food offered: uniramians and chelicerates. Whereas the girl put a mitt over her mouth in uncertainty, the boy recalled memories from a time when he and his brothers hadn't become so gentle yet. Evil Butch and Evil Brick one day ordered Evil Boomer to go steal some candy for them. The taunted blond took a bagful from some unfortunate lad, ending up not only badly pummeled but also contained in a special ray. Going undercover as him, Bubbles went through appalling hijinks including eating a cockroach all part of a plan to capture the other two which still ended in failure. Still, Boomer couldn't decide whether that or the loogie disgusted him most. "Huh," Bubbles noted, "Bugs as real food?"

"You got it, little girl," one vendor stated, "Sample a roach?"

"C'mon, Boomer." The vendor handed them each one roasted cockroach. Bubbles immediately crunched hers up with Boomer inspecting his, shrugging, and following suit. "Now, doesn't it feel good trying something new?"

"You were right; it does taste like chicken."

"Uh huh…wait a minute. What do you mean 'I was right'?"

"You know what I mean. The time my brothers' evil selves had you eat another? When you dressed up in my clothes?"

"I never told you about that. How'd you find out?"

"Duh, Bubbles, I was inside my evil twin the whole time." (He meant the 'duh' part playfully.) "The ray you all held him inside of must've done something that let me see everything outside."

"Really?"

"Really. You pulled off a good act. You looked kinda interesting wearing my outfit, not dumb."

"Well, you looked funny in yer underwear." Boomer smiled timidly before joining Bubbles in a giggling fit which made others perplexed. At least no one heard that last line, thank goodness! Bubbles playfully shoved her new boyfriend's arm. "Aw, I'm just messing with you."

"Yeah, I know." The blonds stared in each other's eyes once more, letting their feelings radiate strong. After a minute or so, they then slid their mitts over new arthropods and held them up for exchange.

"Tarantula?"

"Centipede." Bubbles popped the tarantula into Boomer's mouth, and he did likewise with the centipede. Both nodded their heads, tried talking with full and closed mouths, popped more arthropods into their own mouths, and maintained the cycle for a while.

And what of a certain pair of redheads? Brick and Blossom fancied themselves on sampling dishes originating in New South Wales. They started off accepting plates full of fishweed and yams with scoops of quandong ice-cream, all prepared by Aborigines rather than the Australian-transplanted Europeans they'd become so accustomed to seeing on television. While feasting, Blossom told Brick of her first robbery offense, which he preferred denying. "No way."

"Way."

"My girl, stealing? Not you, Blossom."

"Sad but true, Brick. I was assigned 200 hours of community service. The professor and I both took it pretty hard since it was both our faults to begin with. We recovered, though I couldn't quite say how. In any case, it's all history."

"Still, you and yer sisters are the last people I can imagine committing crimes." He shoveled a bite of yam down his jowls.

"Eh, we all make mistakes." She chewed and swallowed a piece of fishweed. "But let's now hear your story. Did Mojo really make you guys from Chemical X in a prison toilet?"

Brick induced a gulp. "Aw, whadja bring that up for? And who told you about it?"

"Bubbles. She seems to have this ironic ability to know things before anyone even tells us. You should've heard her this one time we chased down an evil cat who wanted to make cats rule over humans. And if that didn't make me jealous, she actually beat me and Buttercup on the SAT which Him assigned us. Can you believe it? All the contiguous attention I pay my studies, the huge amounts of learned material I ever permeated into my cerebrum, the utmost battle strategies I systematized for our heroic duties, and it took a straightforward doodle to solve that one problem. Of course, it turns out Him just bet the professor a free meal if we solved his riddles and made him pay full price for our failure. But the point is…um, why're you looking at me so funny? Weren't you listening?"

Brick now wore a dreamy look on his face as if daydreaming and provided flattery, having forgotten everything else they just talked about. "Oh, I listened. I just love hearing you speak so complex. Makes you all the more loveable."

Blossom looked down shyly, smiled, and shrugged. "Well, you know. That comes with our job description as leaders."

"It sure does."

Half an hour later, all three new couples crossed paths a few feet away from the building entrance. With their heads stuck in the clouds, it seemed only natural they should jolt seeing each other. At least the area where they stood wasn't so crowded they couldn't hear each other or themselves. Bubbles and Boomer started off the conversation by breathing on the others' faces as a joke. "Hello!" they began.

"Phew!" Blossom declared, "Get some breath mints, you two!"

"What've you been eating anyway?" Butch added, waving the air, "Bugs?"

"You said it!" the two announced, immediately naming off each consumed arthropod rapid-fire.

"Hey, isn't that Sonny and Kunlun over there?" Buttercup interrupted, pointing in the distance.

"Who?" Brick said.

"C'mon," Blossom urged, "We'll introduce you boys to 'em." From their viewpoint, the said preteens appeared to be arguing without actually fighting. Sonny was clad in a tuxedo a value of green somewhere between Buttercup and Butch's outfits, and Kunlun wore a gray dress. No matter how close the PPG and RRB floated towards them, not even the older pair's voices gave much of a clue. In fact, the girls hardly recognized them from the last acquaintance when Threetails' heart empowered them: Distance couldn't disguise the hyperactivity of their conversation. Neither one yet noticed the approaching trios.

"And you know what peeves me off most?" Kunlun spoke, "The only momentum going on in their office is…"

"You know what?" Sonny began.

"…mostly finger-pointing with little real action."

"You know what? If something isn't done soon, I swear I'll break someone in pieces over my knee." He made twig-snapping motions with his hands. "I'll beat some oxygen deep into their skulls with my own bare fists."

"How many pieces?"

"Eh, I can't count that high."

"What're you two fighting for?" Boomer queried, drawing their attention.

"Oh, the Powerpuff Girls!" Sonny said. The two stood up and shook each X-creation's mitt, feeling more adjusted to shaking celebrity hands. "Long time, no see."

"Well, it hasn't been that long," Bubbles said.

"And you must be the Rowdyruff Boys," Kunlun put in, "The name's Kunlun Ying, and he's Sonny Liao. Put the past behind you, I take it?"

"Sure have," Brick answered, knowing what she meant. The preteens then sat back down.

"That's wonderful."

"No, it's the past," Boomer said.

"Oh, Boomer," Butch said, nudging him, "Anyways, like my brother said, why're you fighting?"

"Not fighting," Sonny explained, "We're just upset about damage to the environment. It's practically the 21st century now, but things are the same as they've been in the 20th. Deforestation should've stopped by now."

"That is sad," Blossom commented, "Say, while I'm thinking about it, what's with the sugar rush? You two were never this active during your last field trip."

"Yeah, we put on a bit of a façade for two reasons," Kunlun stated, "Firstly, since we've been known to drive everyone around us crazy, our teacher instructed us to behave. Secondly, we older folk don't always know our own strength, so we must watch ourselves around little kids. Not meant offensively, of course."

"Nah, we understand," Buttercup assured, "You two on another field trip?"

"Nope. We're with our families this time, although we prefer spending time alone." Kunlun pointed to an older, navy-haired Chinese boy apparently making the most of his time by displaying pictograms made of string. A Chinese couple, the husband having gold hair and the wife navy, were very cheerful but seemed a tad annoyed by the boy's spotlight-reigning. "That's my father Zhenbang, my mother Linney, and my older brother Enlai. Enlai's happy of his string art."

Sonny pointed at another table with three more Chinese people: his family. A little girl with cinnabar hair had a smile plastered on her face, although the extra-neat arrangement of her plate, fork, knife, and cup might've suggested minor stress. The cinnabar-haired father seemed quite energetic in conversation, whereas his yellow-haired spouse acted calmer. "And that's my family: my dad Fen, my mom Janet, and my younger sister Rong. That's 'wrong' without the 'w', by the way."

"Interesting," Brick commented, "Let's back up a bit, though. Why're you both sitting away from them?" The six closed their eyes halfway, smiled playfully, and cocked their eyelids. "Is it something special?"

The preteens blushed a tad. "Aw, knock it off," Sonny said.

"You can tell us if you're on a date together," Bubbles said, "We're doing the same. See?" Each X-creation immediately held his or her partner's mitt, harnessing the tingly feeling inside without another thought. "We won't laugh."

Kunlun and Sonny eyed them momentarily, not yet knowing how to respond. Little kids just didn't understand the complexities behind romantic relationships as far as the older pair knew. They shouldn't be hearing or discussing the subject matter, let alone dating. Then again, the PPG and RRB were definitely no ordinary kids. Maybe just a small piece wouldn't hurt. "Okay, you got us," Kunlun admitted, "Yeah, we've been friends for quite a while now." She met Sonny's gaze. "But, we always thought of it as something more. Our parents don't seem to mind."

"So you're basically on the same level as us?" Butch wondered, "You only just became a couple tonight?"

"You could put it that way," Sonny shrugged.

The period was history as the eight young lovers talked about other things like agriculture, toys, wrestling, and many more indiscernible topics. Not once did anyone including the two Chinese themselves bring up discussion revolving around their newfound superpowers, crime-fighting in Merringale, or anything or anyone involving Threetails. Of course, Blossom knew she was forgetting details but couldn't quite place them. Once the event dwindled, Sonny and Kunlun accompanied the six younger ones back near the same entrance as before. The near-cleanup certainly made the room look different than what everyone's eyes adjusted to for the night. More cooking devices were shut off, more stalls removed, several bloated people escorted outside, etc. Prof. Utonium hadn't broken away from his session just yet, which gave the eight ample time for exchanging goodbyes again. "It was nice meeting you," Boomer started, "My brothers and I never personally acquainted ourselves with anyone from out of town until now."

"And it was a pleasure meeting you and showing our true colors," Kunlun returned, "Our teacher can be a real wreck sometimes."

"Well, it all depends on the students," Blossom stated, "School faculty is pleasant only if you make 'em that way."

"Eh, common knowledge," Sonny shrugged, "But enough about that. If you ever get the chance to visit Merringale, don't hesitate to look us up."

"We'll see what we can do," Buttercup said.

"Sonny!" Mr. Liao called, "Time to go!"

"I gotta ride," Sonny stated, and he left the room.

"C'mon, Kunlun!" Mrs. Ying called, "We're leaving!"

"See ya 'round," Kunlun stated, also leaving the room.

"Bye!" the kids called back, waving.

"Nice folks, those two," Butch commented.

"Aw, now I remember," Blossom realized, "I wanted to ask them how well their crime-fighting duties have been coming along as of late."

"Come again?" Brick said.

"It's a long story," Bubbles put in, "Going back to a few days before you boys came home. We'll tell you about it tomorrow."

"Hey, kids!" Prof. Utonium announced, joining the procession.

"Hey, Professor," they chorused.

"I see you remembered the meeting spot. Yeah, I myself got pretty caught up in the fair and almost forgot about the time change. Anyway, did anyone have a good time tonight?" They nodded gently. "Wonderful. Let's go home now." It seems the PPG and RRB's thoughts returned to the very point of tonight's event, for they'd bordered forgetfulness of everything else. Why, they even needed Prof. Utonium's guidance towards the family minivan to keep from smacking into lampposts or car doors due to dreaminess. Placed back in their previous seating positions, none bothered hearing him explain his 'all-out buffet'. "What a night! I must've tried foods from over twenty different countries! Let's see: Angola, Algeria, Macedonia, Vietnam, Congo, New Zealand…oh, the list just goes on. Did you know that…?"

But blissful thoughts drowned him out. Buttercup, Boomer, and Brick resumed their hair-fiddling motions while their partners stared off into space. So many chapters of their little lives had been written in these past months, and this one deserved a special spot in each child's diary. They probably spent at least fifteen minutes past their bedtime recording it on paper. Nobody knew what dangers tomorrow might bring, hence why the PPG and RRB spared not a second basking in the night's ultimate moment.

The End


	12. Yeast Basket

What did the word 'culture' mean for the people in Townsville? Did they think of intricately designed buildings introduced by various ethnic groups? Did they think of everyone looking physically different from each other with some also having accents? For that matter, how about last night's food fair? Well, something inspired Ms. Keane – long since recovered from her encounter with Washout – to stay up late for a bit of chemistry instead of hitting the covers early like everyone else.

Yes, Ms. Keane and chemistry. Mixing unidentifiable liquids together in some old pot felt like taking a trip back in time without superpowers or a time machine. She hadn't done anything like this since her high school days, although a certain incident back in grade school stuck out best. Her own teacher assigned her and the other kids volcano experiments after watching a safety film documenting detrimental health effects of loitering around volcanoes (but nothing on being melted into goo by the lava's intense heat). Prof. Utonium, being a spoiled brat then, put too many chemicals in his 'volcano' and caused an explosion in the lab. But the surprising thing is that he'd become a changed person the very next day taking a week's worth of detention with dignity. Most believed the chemical fumes neutralized his temper. However, others like Ms. Keane put their bets on individuals resembling Mojo Jojo and the Powerpuff Girls, who disappeared as quickly as they came. Just about everyone naturally liked the new Utonium: a more pleasant child boasting a newfangled passion for science.

Anyway, the current kindergarten teacher now felt an urge to revert to her high school roots for tonight. The mess in her kitchen from lab chemicals and baking supplies made it pretty clear how rusty she'd grown over the past few years. A white mass inside an old pot gave off few bubbles as Ms. Keane looked around for something. "Where is it?" She peeked under the table. "Not here." Her eyes darted across the floor. "Not seeing it." She searched cupboards, the refrigerator, and even a closet. "No…no…no." Ms. Keane stood by the kitchen sink concentrating and ignoring everything else, growing frantic. "Where is it? Where is it? Where did I put that…?"

"Meow," came a feline reply. Ms. Keane paid heed to neither her pet rubbing up against her ankle or its muffled voice.

"Not now, Valentino. I'm trying to think."

"Meow."

"Valentino, I…" She stopped in mid-sentence at the sight of a small container held in the cat's jaws: the very object she was searching for. "Oh. Good kitty." Ms. Keane accepted it, walked back to her concoction with Valentino observing, and poured in two drops of the needed substance. Even with a few more gas pockets, the following reaction looked more like a churning ocean as the mass expanded to fill the container and spill over its edges. "Oh my!"

Valentino recoiled towards the nearest bottom cupboard. "Mew?"

"Mmph! Ermph! Stupid…" Ms. Keane was now a complete mess with bits of white stuff on her nose, cheeks, and forehead and major portions blanketing her arms, the entire pot, and an eighth of the table. For all the cat knew, she looked like she wrestled a monster made of bread dough. But proper kneading (or lack thereof) brought it all under control; now the table had a new three-inch thick tablecloth. "Finally." She stretched and yawned. "But it's much too late to bake it. I better just put it in the fridge and clean up for now."

"Mew?"

"Yes, kitty. We can eat our bread tomorrow. At least I finally got it right." Ms. Keane opened the same closet door, took out a mop and bucket, and attempted filling the bucket with water. Instead, weird noises similar to a train's wheels grinding down a track came from the faucet. She didn't like this sudden stubbornness but waited as patiently as possible anyhow. Though, with every passing five seconds, her agitation grew with the water's absence until she began cursing it. "Dumb faucet! Where's the water?" The teacher grabbed a plate and raised it in preparation to smash it over the faucet until realization struck her. "Oh, of course! I must be more tired than I thought." After putting the plate down, she knocked six times on the faucet, which finally brought the water out another ten seconds later.

Idiotic as it seemed, Ms. Keane didn't care as long as she got her kitchen cleaned. Fortunately, nothing noteworthy made things harder or ruined her bread dough. Valentino hungrily watched her put the last bit in the refrigerator, which was now almost out of room for any more contents. "Meow!"

Ms. Keane looked down at her cat, instantly knowing what he wanted. "Hungry, kitty?"

"Meow!"

"Come along." Once the refrigerator got shut, both exited the kitchen without another thought. That is, until Ms. Keane slipped on a hidden patch of soapy water. "Whoop! Whoop!" She grabbed the nearest counter edge to regain balance. "Huh. Can't believe I missed a spot. Better wait a bit longer, Valentino." At least Ms. Keane needed not tiptoe very far to grab a rag and rub that spot down.

More humorous energy didn't kick off until the end of class the next day. Somehow, the teacher managed shrugging off the previous evening's fatigue to, well, teach. For who knew what reason, she'd placed an important folded piece of paper in her pocket, though not carefully enough; it fell out and got picked up by Blossom only a minute before the school bell rang. Students eyed the clock hard. "C'mon, lazy clock," Buttercup muttered.

"Your attention, students," Ms. Keane instructed, "There are still a few seconds of class left. Don't forget about the project in two days. Hope you have an idea by then." That's when the bell rang. Everyone else left the PPG and Robin Snyder standing at the teacher's desk. The sisters hadn't done much of anything with their brown-haired friend for a good while, so today would do nicely. "Yes, girls?"

Blossom held out the paper. "Ms. Keane, I believe you dropped this earlier."

The teacher eyed it casually. "Oh, that. Why don't you hold on to it?"

"Are you sure?" Bubbles asked, "What is it?"

"Go ahead and unfold it to find out." All four girls' eyes panned across the writing.

"A recipe for yeast," Robin noted, "But why throw it out?"

"Not throwing it out," Ms. Keane answered, yawning, "Just lending it for a day or so. Be sure to have it back when you're finished."

"Are you feeling okay?" Blossom queried

"I stayed up late last night to make some bread after I got finished making my special yeast. Though, I've still yet to bake it. Anyhow, our family hasn't shared the recipe with anyone else in a long while, but you four seem trustworthy enough."

"Eh, common knowledge," Buttercup shrugged, "But why keep it to yerself?"

"My grandparents used to be in the bread processing business until bigger corporations pushed 'em out. Not that I dislike my job as a teacher, mind you. Uh, anyway, how would you four like to try it out? It's very easy, and it should be an enlightening experience."

"Okay!" the PPG beamed.

"Um, I guess," Robin commented, unsure.

"Hold on a second," Bubbles realized, "You said you made some bread last night and that we must have this recipe back when we're done, right?"

"That's bread dough, Bubbles, and yes," Ms. Keane continued, "Why do you ask?"

"Do you mean to say you can't share because it's the only copy you got and you're gonna bake that bread dough and send it off to your relatives near and far and that you made enough dough to stuff your refrigerator with and nobody other than you has owned a copy of that recipe for a really long time and you only just found this recipe…umm…when did you find it again?"

As usual, everybody listening needed a few seconds taking in the blond's ironic prediction. Even more ironic, Robin never heard her talk like that until now. "Very good, Bubbles. Yes, I did cram my refrigerator with enough dough so I'd have enough to send to my relatives. I came from a large family. And yes, I only found this recipe about a week ago. Until then, we all thought the Keane Family Bread Yeast was lost forever. But you four should head along home now."

"It shall be baked!" Blossom promised, and all four girls saluted.

The PPG decided they'd walk home like Robin rather than fly. Whereas they couldn't stop talking about baking bread, she didn't share the enthusiasm. No one else noticed her nervousness just yet. "Ooh, bread!" Buttercup declared, "One of the most important food groups ever!"

"Yeah, that's what I call a real understatement," Blossom said.

"How come?" Bubbles asked.

"Bread's always been crucial to people's diets throughout history. In fact, long before the professor was born, there once existed bread deliveries here in the United States."

"What kind of bread we making today?" Buttercup wondered, "Corn bread? Wheat bread?"

"Aw, I don't care what kind," Robin said.

"What's wrong, Robin?" Blossom asked, "Aren't you excited?"

"It's nothing, really."

"C'mon, you can tell us," Bubbles coached, "We're your friends."

Robin shied away. "Nah, I can't."

"You know you want to," Buttercup teased.

"No, I…" The regular human girl maintained her denial as the sisters crowded around her for further harmless teasing. All four spoke at once, melding their voices into a mass of indistinguishable comments and remaining in one spot. Robin then made the mistake of bending down on her knees, allowing Bubbles and Buttercup to make her giggle by gently blowing in her ears. "Stop, I'm ticklish!" Their voices became distinguishable once more.

"C'mon and tell us," Blossom urged, "We wanna know."

"Alright, alright." Robin stood back up, breathed in deeply, and explained herself. "To tell you the truth, I'm really not much for baking. The last time I tried it, I burnt my dad's favorite spoon and my mom's favorite bowl. That was over a couple years ago; I haven't baked anything since."

"Wow, a couple years?" Buttercup said.

"Uh huh."

"Eh, no sweat. You're looking at the best kid bakers in the neighborhood. We'll make a bread champ outta you yet."

Robin brightened up. "Really?"

"Hey, what're friends for?" Blossom said.

"Lots of things," Bubbles answered, "Playing games together, slumber parties, sharing stories with, pillow fights, cleaning up yucky trash off the ground, sticking together through thick and thin, doing homework together, wrestling, raking leaves, gardening, knitting, running all over the place, hairstyling…"

"Whoa there, Bubbles," Buttercup interrupted, she and the other two having just stared on, "Take a breather now."

"But that's not even the half of it. I'm on a roll. Well, not a real roll, but you know."

"That's okay," Robin said, "We understand what you mean. So, when're we gonna start?"

"Right now," Blossom announced.

After a pleasurably small amount of time dropping their backpacks off at home, the PPG headed straight next door with Robin waiting in the kitchen. Upon hearing the news, Mr. and Mrs. Snyder didn't feel as much nervous about leaving their daughter and her friends alone as they did about them baking bread. Those burnt items must've held ancestral importance from what the four girls knew. Outside threats were almost nonexistent in everyone's minds. "We'll be down a block or so visiting the Nicks family," Mr. Snyder said, "You sure you'll be careful?"

"You bet," Buttercup promised, "I've done this who knows how many times. The kitchen is in good hands. Or mitts. Whichever."

"Alright, we're off," Mrs. Snyder concluded, "And, Powerpuff Girls? Thanks for offering to tutor Robin, I guess." The quartet waited until the parents were fully out of sight before doing anything more.

"Let's begin!" Bubbles announced, "This'll be even better than that cake in that play oven."

"Yeah, but nobody's answered my question yet," Buttercup continued, "What kind of bread we baking?"

"Follow me," Robin coached. She led the others to a closet and tugged on the doorknob but couldn't get it open. "Unh! Unh!"

"Together now!" Blossom said. Eight arms clutching firmly, each girl scrambled together too excited to implement cooperation. Sounds of such lines as 'I almost got it' and 'Stand aside, I'm working here' echoed in the kitchen until the pink 'puff spoke again. "Hold on!" They all paused. "This is stupid. Don't we know anything?" Bubbles, Buttercup, and Robin immediately understood; Blossom needed not say another word. Those eight arms grabbed the knob again, turned it, and tugged their hardest. The door flung open while the girls fell over backwards, getting covered in some tangled mess the next moment. Brown stalks and tan grains created a mound in the kitchen.

Buttercup ran her mitt across the mass while she and the others sifted themselves out. "Finally. What's this stuff?"

"It's called sorghum," Blossom explained, "Originally domesticated in Ethiopia a little more than 9,000 years before the present time. This relative of the corn family is used to make molasses, porridge, sorghum flour for bread and cakes, and a load of other things I dare not mention."

"Right," Robin added, "And it needs an average minimum temperature of 25 °C to make the most of itself in a single year."

"Well, that closet looks pretty warm," Bubbles said, "How'd it all get stuck there?"

"My parents received a small crate of sorghum last month," was the answer, "They couldn't think of anywhere else to put it or what to do with it first, so they stuck it in this closet and forgot about it."

"Then they won't mind us creating more room for other things to stash," Buttercup decided, gathering some grains.

"Precisely," Blossom agreed, "I think sorghum bread would make a wonderful project. And look." She removed a dusty metal object from another closet shelf. "A grinder." Bubbles took out a bowl also from the same closet for Buttercup to fill with sorghum grains. Blossom accepted it, set it up on the dinner table, washed off the grinder, set it next to the bowl, put another bowl underneath, and positioned Robin in place. "Okay, Robin. Your first lesson is making flour. You just take some seeds, drop 'em into the grinder, and rotate the little lever until you can grind no further."

"Then what?"

"Don't worry. The rest of us will tend to other matters. This is very simple."

"Well, okay." Following Blossom's instructions, Robin set to work making flour the old-fashioned way. Things actually went along smoothly before a fragment struck her in the forehead. "Ow!" But she ignored it. Then another fragment hit the tip of her nose. "Oh!" After that, two fragments came up and hit one cheek each. "Oop! Mmmm!" Unable to take more, Robin held one corner of the grinder and rotated its lever full gas. "OUCH!" Of course, that motion only made pieces fly up like fireworks. The bowl underneath had only filled up about 1/8 of an inch. At least she didn't knock anything over.

"What's wrong?" Blossom asked, returning.

"Every time I grind, pieces keep hitting me in the face. I can't continue."

"Hmmm…oh yeah!" Blossom flew back to the cupboard, returned with a flat metal cover, and placed it on top of the grinder. "So that's what this slab is for. Sorry about that."

"No problem." Robin continued without further interruption.

Blossom returned to her sisters around the pile. As their friend ground the seeds, the PPG were discussing what more they could do in the meantime. Someone had to clean up the mess, but all three much preferred making Ms. Keane's special yeast. Basically, the trio was stuck. "I still think one of you should clean this up," Buttercup insisted.

"No, you should," Blossom argued.

"Let's all clean it up," Bubbles said, withdrawing some plastic and burlap bags. Grains which hadn't touched the dirty floor yet went into the burlap bags while those that did touch accompanied the dry stems into the plastic trash bags. Obviously, separating dirty grains from clean ones proved easier said than done. Soon enough, the closet welcomed four burlap bags filled to the peak with one half-empty. Five full trash bags dotted the floor now.

"Okay," Blossom decided, "You two deal with the trash, and I'll go get the ingredients on this list from the professor's lab."

"Why do you get to go out?" Buttercup asked.

"Well, can you identify what Ms. Keane used?" Blossom withdrew the recipe from her pocket for her sisters to study closely. Although they could pronounce the chemicals' names, recalling them was another story.

"Oh, I know ferrous sulfate," Bubbles guessed, "That's the pretty yellow one next to the orange."

"No, Bubbles, that's monocalcium phospate," Buttercup contradicted, "Or was it thiamin mononitrate?"

But the two forfeited upon seeing Blossom cock an eyebrow. "Okay, you win," they chorused.

"Don't worry," the redhead assured, stowing the recipe back inside her belt, "You two can do the actual yeast-making. I'll be right back." Once she departed, Bubbles and Buttercup shrugged to each other and attempted taking the nearest loaded trash bag out. The contents weighed more than anyone realized, forcing them to double up in a strained walk. Unfortunately, the bag' could take the strain no longer and so collapsed only inches near the door. Both girls looked straight ahead in shock as sorghum remnants covered them while spilling around their feet. Robin was plenty caught up in her work that she didn't even take a glimpse.

Sighing, the 'puffs shook themselves as cleanly as they could get. "That does it," Buttercup decided, "New plan. C'mon."

"Hmmmm-hm-hmm-hmmm," Robin hummed, blissfully oblivious to her surroundings. The bowl still hadn't filled to the top yet, and now the shy girl was actually enjoying herself. "Hm-hm-hm…hm?" She paused at the presence of a foul odor filling her nostrils. Placing her shirt over her mouth and nose, Robin turned around to see the shocking reason why. Buttercup held an empty trashcan still while Bubbles swept the mess inside. "Ewww! What're you doing?"

"The bag collapsed, so we brought in the next best thing," Bubbles answered. Soon enough, she was left sticking it on her palms and dropping it in to make for a more amusing task. Buttercup didn't lash out but merely rolled her eyes in slight annoyance.

"Hey, girls!" came Blossom's voice unexpectedly. Bubbles, Buttercup, and Robin all jolted thankfully without any further messes. The pink 'puff set a white carrying case down long enough to realize the new mess. "What's going on around here? Why this trashcan?" She waved the air. "Ugh. Guess that explains the smell."

"The bag collapsed," Buttercup repeated, "We had no other choice. C'mon and help us."

"Okay."

"Hmm-hmmm…" Robin continued, returning to her oblivious state. Nearly a half hour must've passed during the clean-up. Again, taking out the trash felt more like pumping iron. Mopping the floor was no easier, what with only one extra-slippery cleaning agent available. The PPG couldn't help laughing at seeing each other 'dance around.' But soon after quickly washing themselves off in the bathroom, they stood around the same white mixture Ms. Keane made last night.

"So, this is Ms. Keane's special yeast, huh?" Bubbles said, "It looks like it could just jump out at you."

Like the previous batch, this one swirled around in ocean waves. "Yeah, I think it can hear us."

"I'll go check on Robin," Blossom volunteered. While the other two remained fixated on the yeast, Blossom stopped short at the very sight of their friend. Still grinding, she'd managed to fill half of yet another empty burlap bag on her left with a seed-filled one on her right. The Powerpuff leader shook her head and floated over yonder.

"C'mon…you." During the yeast-making session, nobody noticed Robin's ensuing struggle. How long had it been since the grinder's last usage? It must've been quite a while, because now the girl saw a need to hold the lever with one hand and an edge and the covering together with her other hand while really pouring on the vim. Face and arm muscles tightened their hardest. Teeth gritted, one might think Robin felt quite peeved (and she technically did).

"Um, how you doing?" Blossom asked, unsure.

Robin's expression softened as she paused. "Hey, Blossom. I'm nearly finished filling this bag with fresh-ground flour. Oh, I made a tongue twister."

"You're working too hard. We only needed a bowl, not an entire bag."

"Well, I thought I'd have a little extra handy. This grinder's gotten stubborn, but it's pretty swell." After she tapped it, both Robin and Blossom did a double-take once the grinder instantly fell apart. The former gave a timid look before placing the broken utensil in the kitchen wastebasket. Oh well, the Snyders probably needed a new one anyhow.

Meanwhile, Buttercup and Bubbles continued watching the yeast grow little by little until it reached the bowl's edges. First, a gas bubble the size of a bowling ball popped and splattered white bits on both their faces while the rest settled back down. If they thought it would stop, another sudden rising proved them wrong. Bubbles attempted kneading it with one mitt but got caught instead. "How's it feel?" Buttercup asked.

"Unh!" Bubbles grunted, "So sticky!" She then got another mitt stuck tight. Buttercup wasted no time helping her sister out, also getting stuck in the process. The yeast continued rising until it covered their entire arms. "Help! It's got me! It's trying to swallow me alive!"

"I wouldn't say that!" Buttercup commented, "But it's…so…darn…sticky!" Both girls struggled getting it off all the while pounding it down like a bear to an unsuspecting human.

Blossom hurried on the scene. "What's going on?" She grabbed the yeast herself, also getting stuck. "Ergh! What…kind…of…yeast…is…this? Mmph! Didn't we follow the recipe accordingly?"

"Of course we did!" Buttercup said.

The Snyder house wasn't soundproof. Outside, a passerby had long stopped at the girls' really loud grunting and got the wrong idea (not a profane one, of course). Feeling spooked, she shook her head and ran along. Once in the distance, she vainly threw out some advice without even realizing no one inside the abode might be able to hear it. "Try the Heimlich maneuver!"

"This flour should help," Robin suggested, bowl in hand and standing on a chair.

"Gimme gimme gimme!" Buttercup declared, "Gotta get this stubborn stuff off!"

"Me first, me first!" Bubbles argued.

"Sorry, I already called it!"

"No, me first!" Blossom insisted. Robin nervously held the bowl away above her head as the PPG scrambled for it. Shaking head and rolling eyes, she then thrust the powdery contents onto the yeast. The following cloud not only covered the entire dinner table but also broke up the argument. All four coughed, gagged, and waved the air to disperse it. And after that, the PPG could hardly describe how glad they felt being freed. No one minded their floury appearances, just as long as the yeast stayed limp.

"Finally," Buttercup said, "Thought we'd never get that dumb yeast off."

"Uh, let's move on," Bubbles coached.

"Right," Blossom picked up, "Let's get the biggest pan we can find."

Bubbles floated to the high cupboards with Robin walking behind. "Um, where's the biggest pan again?" the blue 'puff asked.

"Left cupboard," Robin instructed. The cupboard may have been easy to open, but it was just as disorderly as the closet. A simple tug unleashed a barrage of cookwares that fell around the brown-haired girl without hurting her. Still, she protected her head just in case. "Here it is!" She pointed at a square pan larger than everything else.

"Great!" Bubbles took it and joined her sisters.

"Wait up!" Robin made the mistake of running around a messy area, tripped over a smaller round pan, and fell flat on her back. The force of her fall sent the pan sliding towards Buttercup's ankles, of who stood on the floor for no apparent reason.

"Hey!" Buttercup picked the pan off the floor. Eyes darting towards the source of commotion, all PPG placed their seized items on the table and joined Robin to help her back up.

"You alright?" Bubbles queried.

"Uhhh," Robin groaned, "I hope so."

"Robin, you should really look where you're going," Blossom said, "It's not wise to run around with various objects strewn all over."

"Yeah, I guess I got so carried away with baking. I can feel the skill coming on."

"Hate ta say it, but yer parents aren't very tidy," Buttercup added, "The closet and cupboard are a nightmare. Let's take a moment or two."

Shortly, both aforementioned storage cases felt the effects of government safety standards without government. Not only that, but the quartet also made time for wiping away flour from themselves, furniture, and the floor. Robin stood over a floured pan while Blossom continued tutoring. "You've learned a lot today. Now it's time for the conclusion. First, fill up the pan."

"That's easy." Robin took the bowl and poured the dough into the pan without spilling a single bit. "Now what?"

"Put the pan inside the oven." Robin followed along; Blossom turned on the oven.

"What next?"

"Now, we relax," Bubbles said. At that, the group collapsed into an exhausted heap, nearing sleepiness. "Whew. Baking can be such a hassle."

"No fooling," Buttercup agreed, "We gonna eat the bread ourselves when it's done?"

"I don't see why not," Blossom decided, "It's not like we baked it for nothing. Wish I could've sampled some at the food fair."

"Well, I'm hungry right now," Robin said, "We got some frozen fruit bars in the freezer if you want."

"Sure!" the PPG chorused. Fortunately, Robin needed not reach too high since the Snyders owned a refrigerator having a vertical freezer. Plus, the fruit bars were stowed right at the very bottom; easy reach even for a two-year old. The treats seemed harmless enough.

"Yummy!" Bubbles declared, "Grape!"

"Mine's orange!" Buttercup put in.

"Passion fruit!" Blossom said.

"Mmm! Mmm!" Robin cried, a strawberry bar in her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Buttercup asked.

"Mmm! Mmm!"

"Are you choking?" Bubbles asked.

"Mm-mm! Mm-mm!" Robin shook her head no.

"Is it stuck to yer lips?" Blossom guessed.

"Mm-hm! Mm-hm!" Robin shook her head yes before running towards the sink. But since it was so high up, she needed the PPG to give her a lift. Buttercup turned on the faucet, and Robin ran both her lips and treat under the running water for two seconds. Bubbles switched the faucet off while Robin tugged gently on the fruit bar.

"Need any help?" Buttercup offered.

"Thanks anyway." The last two words came out of the side of Robin's mouth. Fortunately, a few gentle tugs separated the frozen treat from her lips. "Whew. That's a relief."

"You okay?" Blossom asked.

"Yeah. But it was pretty silly." Robin giggled a bit while the triplets gave a half-smile. (A/N: This actually happened to me recently. LOL!)

More time passed by with little fuss. Judging by the fatigue in their eyes, the PPG seriously wondered why they hadn't preheated the oven. The quartet had nothing more to do than lay on chairs or the table waiting for the bread to finish baking. Suddenly, a 'ping' sound snapped them out of boredom. "It's dooo-oone!" Bubbles sang.

"Oh, joy!" Robin declared. The four approached the oven calmly, only to jump back in surprise when opening it unveiled a huge golden-brown mass that seemed to leap at them like some prank balloon clown. Though, the pleasant smell dispersed their stress just as quickly. "Let's dig in!"

"Wait!" Blossom said.

Too late. Robin grabbed the bread-filled pan with her bare arms and held it for all to sample its scent up close. But once she realized the extreme heat coursing through, the brown-haired girl went into a panic. "Ow! Oh oh! Hot hot hot hot hot hot! Ooh oh ooh! Hot! Hot! It's hot! Take it!" She passed it to Buttercup.

"Why me? Ouch! Ooh ooh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Hot hot hot! It burns! It burns! Bubbles, you take it!"

"I don't want it! Owwie! Ow ow ow ow ow! Hot! Oh! Oh oh oh! Oooooohhh! Here, Blossom!"

"Ouchie! Too hot! Too hot! Ohhhhhh! Take it, Robin!"

"But it burns!" Pretty soon, the four found themselves in a semi-endless cycle.

"You take it!" Bubbles said.

"No, you take it!" Blossom said.

"No, you!" Robin said.

"You!" Buttercup said.

"You!" Blossom said.

It soon landed back in Robin's arms. Not wanting to keep this up, she frantically ran back towards the table and set the hot thing down. The quartet gathered around and blew on themselves for relief. "That was fun," Bubbles commented, giggling.

"No it wasn't," Blossom disagreed, "Funny we got burned even though we've swum in lava before. Robin, I tried to tell you: Never grab a hot container without using hot pads."

"Whoopsie."

"Don't sweat it," Bubbles said, "Oh goody, a mountain of bread!"

"Let's eat up," Buttercup announced. She touched the bread, burning herself again. "Oop!" The green 'puff waved and blew on her mitt again. "Actually, let's keep ourselves occupied until it cools down."

"Let's wash the dishes first," Robin decided, "Knowing my parents, they'll be too tired when they get home." Though, doing so didn't take as long as they expected, but oh well. Looming upon the bread, the four girls couldn't contain themselves any longer and immediately dug in.

Sunset beamed through all windows within the neighborhood by the time Mr. and Mrs. Snyder came home. Robin was wrong: Her parents did not feel too tired. In fact, they had (at least, from their viewpoint) something exciting to share. "Ooh, I think they're all gonna love this!" Mrs. Snyder declared.

"Hello, kids!" Mr. Snyder greeted, ignoring the greater fatigue in their eyes. Having bad stomachaches, the PPG and Robin really wanted to pass out right now. They all trudged slowly into the living room just barely meeting the adults' eyes.

"Not so…loud," Bubbles pleaded, holding up a mitt, "Oh, too much."

"So Robin, did you finally learn how to bake?" Mrs. Snyder wondered.

"I don't care if I ever saw another crumb of bread in my life," was the response, "And we need a new grinder."

"I guess that's a yes," Mr. Snyder said, "And are you all in for a real treat!"

"I feel like my stomach's gonna burst," Buttercup moaned.

"Mine too," Blossom agreed.

"We brought you back a surprise!" Mrs. Snyder announced.

"What?" the tiny quartet asked, eyes open slightly wider.

"Corn bread!" both adults chorused, each holding out a smaller, yellow baked mass. At both sight and sound of 'bread', the four's eyes dilated before they collapsed into a tired heap. Mr. and Mrs. Snyder appeared perplexed at four exhausted yet indifferent expressions.

"Was it something we said?" Mr. Snyder wondered.

"Oh well," Mrs. Snyder shrugged, "We can just save it for another day." The couple tip-toed around the children into the kitchen to put the bread away. Rushing water no doubt indicated taking over dishwashing duty with that one pan. It would be a couple of hours before the PPG mustered the strength to head on home.

The End


	13. Venomous

One food fair days ago and a baking misadventure yesterday seemed like Spring Break for the Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys. In yesterday's case, the boys spent their time observing activity in Farmsville. Anyhow, since evil forces never sleep, the six must enjoy themselves while they still could. Five orbs yet lingered around Townsville. With Threetails awake once more, there was no telling whether she'd control them or let them continue causing random mayhem. But everyone inside the Utonium house had several different things to worry about at present.

Nighttime mean dinnertime according to most of the world's families, the Utoniums being no exceptions. A Thanksgiving-like feeling dominated the kitchen's atmosphere. The girls could rattle off countless things they felt thankful for and did. On the other hand, the boys worried about their contributions to their relationships. Just how many good turns had the PPG done the RRB? The girls showed the boys feelings, helped them eradicate their inner demons, voted in the boys' favor to stay in Townsville and help everyone, and took them in. So how did this relate to the current subject? Well, even if they needed not otherwise repay the girls, the boys still wanted to make their love for them official. Exchanged kisses and a date only meant so much. Saving some people including Prof. Utonium from a crumbling extinct volcano simply wasn't enough. And their last encounter with the Intrepatuff Girls didn't count since the boys hesitated at first. All but the professor glanced towards his or her lover momentarily, not once meeting eye to eye, until the man of the house dispersed the silence. "So, anyone wanna share what's on your minds? I'm feeling pretty thankful myself."

"Yeah, I know how you feel," Blossom agreed, "I feel very thankful for all the hard work put into this very community."

"I'm thankful for all the animals in the world," Bubbles contributed.

"And I'm thankful for the fresh air we breathe and will keep on breathing," Buttercup put in.

"How 'bout you, boys?" the professor asked.

"Uh…us?" they chorused, uncertain.

"Yeah," Bubbles said, "What're you thankful for?"

"Ummm…well…" Brick started, "Aha! A house to live in. Yeah, that's what I'm thankful for."

"Food!" Boomer quickly chimed.

"Friends," Butch added.

"And you, Professor?" Blossom inquired.

"Why, none other than family," was the answer, "That reminds me: Do any of you have ideas on how to celebrate one-year anniversaries of the biggest changes we've gone through thus far?"

Buttercup, Blossom, and the boys didn't know how to react. "Well…" Buttercup began.

"Not yet," Bubbles abruptly decided. Her next words expressed the same tenderness on the day of their creation from first receiving Octi. "But I'm sure we'll think up plenty of wonderful ideas…Dad."

Prof. Utonium's eyes widened as his face melted into the same large smile he wore from hearing that label on the same day. The tenderness spread through to the girls. "Us too?" Boomer wondered, motioning to himself and his brothers.

"Of course," the professor continued, "You are part of this family after all." The boys' eyes and mouths widened in astonishment, and they looked down shyly with wobbling mouths as if waiting to hear this statement their entire lives.

"Aw, too much," Butch said.

The rest of dinner was pretty much history. Everyone ate up, drank up, and washed their own dishes. No further conversation ensued until near bedtime. The kids bid the professor good night as they let him freshen up in the bathroom first. Still, the girls made sure he disappeared completely before talking with the boys again. "Excuse me, boys?" Blossom started.

"Yeah, Blossom?" Brick replied.

"You've been pretty quiet this evening. What's wrong?"

"Well, now that you mention it…" Boomer started, struggling on how to convey his thoughts, "Don't get us wrong, we're not trying to hurt yer feelings or anything."

"Oh, come on," Butch demanded impatiently, "We're feeling worried about our relationships with you girls because we've only truly known you for about a week or so. And the question is: Do you think it'll work out okay?"

The boys put their mitts over their foreheads expecting a scolding but immediately relaxed when they saw the girls rolling their eyes and shaking their heads playfully. "Boys, boys," Buttercup began, "You worry too much. It's gonna work out fine."

"Are you sure?" Boomer said.

"Positive," Bubbles added, "It's not like any of us are seeing anyone else."

"No, we never said that," Brick continued, lightly waving his mitts, "We just wanted to confirm it, that's all."

"Well, now you have," Blossom finished, glancing to the upstairs hallway. An opened door signified the professor done using the bathroom. Shrugging, the boys followed the girls towards it but didn't quite drop the subject for the evening's remainder. Boomer and Butch exchanged worried glances halfway up the stairs before Brick gave a reassuring nod. Maybe they'd find their answer tomorrow.

Clips flew past Threetails' glazed eyes in her bedroom meanwhile. While the Intrepatuff Girls slept peacefully in their bed, their previous excursion made her all the more curious as to what exactly occurred during her slumber. She saw where each orb landed, who received superpowers, and fast-forwarded anything completely off-topic. For every avatar – the Smiths; Sonny and Kunlun; Washout and Ms. Keane; her own X-creations themselves – the enhancements didn't surprise the demon as much as they did answering most of her questions. "Interesting. Just interesting. Well, at least I know who my heart possessed. But in my current condition, it'll take a little more time to find out those preteens' current location. Hmm…ooh." Threetails then caught a red-eye of the remaining orbs: the one within the polluted ditch and the four lingering by a pet shop. "Oh well. I guess it can just wait. I wonder who's turn it is now to feel my influence?" In any case, her eyes clearly told that she put her bets on the pet shop.

Most visitors paid the pet shop's dumpster no heed the next morning. One family of four came close but still missed the four black orbs behind by a margin. Unlike previous ones, however, these ones apparently exhibited some intelligence according to their movements. The orbs always retreated into their hiding spot every time a customer approached, but this one family pushed the right button. Five more customers went inside (three coincidentally being the PPG) until the orbs snuck right in just as the door shut behind. Whatever the reason, be it customer ignorance or quick moves, no one noticed those four energies make their way around the shop.

Once hidden behind a display of animal beds, the orbs 'searched' for the four perfect avatars. A peek to the left expressed tanks full of salamanders, fish, frogs, toads, and other tiny wetlands fauna. Cages filled with birds and lagomorphs stood on the right. Nothing interesting floated above, crawled below, or did anything else behind. But something truly potential apparently lay straight ahead. The PPG found themselves currently distracted by two glass cases each containing a pair of ordinary black scorpions. "Ugly," Buttercup commented, "Why did it hafta be some scorpions?"

"Not just any scorpions," Blossom explained, "Black scorpions. The deadliest in the world."

"They're still ugly," Bubbles agreed.

"Come on, girls. These ones are our friends."

"No they aren't," Buttercup said, "They're black scorpions. Just like Threetails?"

"We can't blame all black scorpions for the deeds of one. Besides, Threetails isn't even a real scorpion. Just give 'em a chance, y'know?"

Bubbles and Buttercup did just that with some hesitation. "Oh…okay," they chorused.

"Wonderful. The scorpion is part of a group of arthropods, or joint-footed invertebrates, belonging to a superclass called chelicerates."

"But I thought you said it was a crus-….crus-…" Bubbles started.

"Crustacean, Bubbles. That's what I used to think until I did further research. As you can see, scorpions have eight legs just like spiders, meaning they belong to the same class of wingless arthropods called Arachnida. In biology, Chelicerata is an arthropod superclass in which members have chelicerae, fang-like appendages near their mouths for grasping or piercing." Blossom motioned to the pair in the left case. "This species is known as Parabuthus transvaalicus. The female is larger and has thin claws with bright-red tips. The male is a tad smaller with thick, yellow claws. Both got green tails." She motioned at the pair on the right. "Here we have the Hadogenes species. Both are black with a tinge of maroon on their backs, but the female is lighter-colored than the male. And all four are native to South Africa."

"South Africa, huh?" Bubbles said, "First a diamond, then Threetails, and now some ordinary scorpions. I sense a paaaa-ttern."

"For black scorpions, I never thought they'd be so colorful," Buttercup put in.

"Well, yeah," Blossom continued, "There are more monochromatic species in countries like Morocco and Libya. Monochromatic means 'one color', by the way."

While the PPG continued discussing, one might think the orbs were stuck in indecision. The girls seemed like laudable targets, no surprise there. Oh, the destruction that could come forth by Townsville's very protectors! They'd been around for quite a while and already unlocked various keys of potential within themselves all the while causing half as much destruction as their enemies. Chemical X was still very much a mysterious factor (the ITG didn't count since they'd been created much later). And if not the girls, how about those black scorpions? What effects might Threetails' influence have on more of her own kind so to speak? In the end, the orbs chose the girls and so zoomed straight towards them faster than the human eye could pick up. "What's an invertebrate?" Bubbles wondered.

"Any animal without a backbone," Blossom answered. That's when the orbs impacted their backs.

"Hey!" the girls chorused, feeling annoyed and turning around to catch the culprit. But the store was as calm as it got, with the orbs having rebounded off into a sprinkler above their heads.

"What happened?" Buttercup wondered.

"I don't know," Blossom said, "It feels like a ghost shoved us."

"You mean Patches is back?" Bubbles guessed, "Or was it Threetails, or even Him?" Before anyone could venture another guess, the orbs attempted possession once again but rebounded into the scorpions instead. Though, the girls nearly landed into an argument that distracted them from seeing each arachnid take the absorption.

"Okay, which one of you hit me on the head?" Buttercup questioned.

"I didn't hit you," Blossom defended.

"Hey, look!" Bubbles pointed at the scorpions of which glowed bright blue, dashing all hopes for inputting her own commentary. "Why're they so shiny and blue?"

"Scorpions glow blue under ultraviolet light when they're underwater," Blossom guessed, "I've never known it to happen on dry land or in the air."

"Eh, I'm feeling bored," Buttercup said, "Let's move on." And the girls floated away without another thought. Like the orbs, no one noticed the strange red-orange glow in the scorpions' eyes.

Nothing interesting really came up as the hours passed by. With little else to do after the daily training grind, the PPG and RRB flipped through the channels wondering what to watch. Actually, the girls carried out nearly all of the channel surfing while the boys although bored wrestled their previous dilemma from last night. Who knows, maybe something on television or a dusty corner in the room might provide inspiration. That's not to say it fully cut off their speech. "Find anything good?" Boomer asked.

"Nope," Bubbles replied, putting down the remote, "Nothing but reruns of Mech-Animals. I'm stuck."

"Wait a minute," Blossom said, checking the latest television guidebook, "There's a documentary on nuclear fusion."

"Boring," Buttercup said, "Let's watch a swimming competition instead."

"Whadda you think, boys?" Bubbles queried. No response other than blank stares came. "Uh, boys? …Boys? …Booo-ooooys."

"Huh?" the individuals in question said, snapping out of their trance.

"You feeling okay?" Blossom inquired.

"Sure thing," Butch answered, "Let's just say we were thinking about the past few days, that's all. Say, that reminds me: You make yer friend a good baker yet?"

"Her name's Robin Snyder," Bubbles said, "And yes, we taught her well. Though, we had to sleep off the bread we baked before we came home. You guys enjoy yer trip around Farmsville?"

"Yep," Brick chimed, "A crop-dusting plane accidentally sprayed us with pesticide until some farmer told us it was a new kind made from a lotta natural stuff like marigold pollen and whatnot. Guess he didn't know we'd seen worse."

That's when a news report interrupted the mood. Unsurprisingly, trouble downtown had created a mess all over the main roadway with only the bravest crew catching everything. Alongside strewn litter and broken concrete pieces, the scene looked as if somebody punctured sidewalks, buildings, trash containers, and vehicles with a paper hole-puncher. Other potholes and scratches gave off a different appearance as if carved by knives. "We interrupt your regular programming to bring you here on the main road of downtown Townsville where someone has left a mysterious mess," the main reporter spoke, "So far, no one's found any traces leading to or even actually witnessing the responsible culprit or culprits. No possible victims have been seen in the past hour."

A silence followed the speech while the camera panned across the minor damage. Both superpowered trios eyed it fretfully, but only the boys' eyes widened in inspiration. Brick shared a perky look with his brothers; this was the chance they'd been waiting for. "Either more of those orbs have activated, or someone's out causing damage on their own power," Buttercup guessed.

The camera continued panning, paying four cloaked figures no heed until it zoomed back on them. No visible features could be found on their physiques, although a large lump on each one's back made it pretty clear they weren't normal people. "Oh, here come some interesting figures," the reporter continued, "Maybe they can tell us something." The quartet quit advancing and let the news crew walk up close. "Excuse me, you four. We're from Channel 5 news. Do you have any information regarding who's responsible for this mess?" The figures stood still, ever wordless. "Uh, can you hear me?"

After exchanging glances, the figures pulled off and tossed their robes aside without doing anything more yet. Neither news crew nor reporters were entirely shocked at the sight of four creatures that looked like a cross between human and black scorpion. All four shared the same three-toed legs, black body armor, multiple eyes, single tail on their backs, and chelicerae-lined mouths. The two standing on the right resembled the Parabuthus transvaalicus Blossom so identified with green-tinged tails and red or yellow claws. And the maroon-tinged Hadogenes standing left completed the set. "Uh oh," Blossom spoke, "One guess where this is going."

"Better not wait for them to make a move," Bubbles agreed. The girls immediately flew out while the boys lingered a bit.

"This is our big chance, guys," Brick whispered, "Be sharp now."

"Hey, aren'tcha coming?" Buttercup said, temporarily returning. Rather than use words, the RRB nodded and joined the procession.

"Ummm…" the reporter stammered. The arachnoids' stingers twitched and struck around. Each crew member narrowly dodged a lethal injection. The camera flew out of the camera operator's grip and smashed onto the nearest sidewalk. Not intending to miss a second time, the stingers retracted before administering another round only to have the heroes literally hold it back just inches from a neck or ankle. Blossom and Brick contended with the red-clawed female. Bubbles and Boomer handled her yellow-clawed mate. Buttercup and Butch each faced the remaining opponents alone. Unwilling to see what happened next, the news crew naturally found it wise to depart. Maybe they could salvage what little footage they'd obtained on the still-intact tape.

In the meantime, the arachnoids busied themselves freeing their tails from each X-creation's grip. "If you wanted a pounding, you could've just called us," Butch smarted off, "We got a phone, y'know." In response, the arachnoids first attempted getting them off by flinging their tails back and forth like coil springs. The kids all felt so dizzy that they just had to let go. This would've given the arachnoids the perfect striking opportunity had the boys not recovered quickly enough and shoved the girls out of harm's way.

The real fighting began once all six recovered. With nothing more than claw and tail jabs, the PPG almost recognized the battle's sensation from their first encounter with Threetails; though, the RRB needed more than just simulations to acquire their own feel for it. Evenly matched despite odds in their favor, the girls' thoughts regarding the arachnoids lay elsewhere as they didn't notice the boys fighting harder than usual. Did these mutations once reside elsewhere before? Could they have been the same scorpions from the pet shop? (As a side note, the arachnoids made no other sounds than some odd hissing from their chelicerae.)

"Ugh, what's with these things?" Boomer complained.

"I bet Threetails was a lot tougher!" Brick noted.

"You don't know the half of it!" Buttercup said.

"Wait a minute!" Blossom realized, "Recede!" The kids all departed the scene long enough to hide in the nearest alleyway while the arachnoids searched around in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Butch wondered.

"Shhhh," Buttercup whispered, "Keep yer voice down or they'll hear us."

"What's wrong?" he repeated in a lower tone.

"Those are no true creations of Threetails," Blossom explained, "Just more victims of her influence: in this case, the scorpions we saw at the pet shop this morning."

"Four new orbs for four new victims," Bubbles continued. She then jolted at something important. "Wait a minute! The shoving and hitting we felt from that so-called ghost!"

"What about it?" Brick said.

Her next words came out rapid-fire. "Well, let's say that four orbs landed right next to the pet shop waiting for the right moment to strike. Unlike previous orbs, these ones exhibit a little intelligence and maneuver around so as to avoid getting caught by prying eyes. Nobody catches them hiding behind a dumpster; they remain static until this one family of four provides inspiration without even trying. The orbs sneak inside after Blossom, Buttercup, a few other customers, and I walk through the door and continue maneuvering and hide behind a display of animal beds and search around for the perfect targets." Bubbles took in a deep breath. "They find us and the scorpions and try to infect us but bounce off and hide in a sprinkler above our heads. They try a second time but bounce off again, making us think it's someone else, before finally infecting the scorpions instead." She took in another deep breath before continuing in regular speed. "Anyway, I can't be lying."

"You sure said a mouthful," Butch commented, "So how do we fight these things if we can't destroy 'em?"

"As far as we know, nearly everyone we've fought that's been infected by an orb so far has had their powers wear off eventually," Blossom analyzed, "But in the case of our friends from Merringale who still have their powers, we don't know for sure if it's a matter of wearing them down. Then again, it seems like our only choice."

"Uh, girls?" Boomer said, noticing danger.

"Maybe they were infected by stronger, long-lasting orbs," Buttercup suggested, "I could be wrong, though. Every orb must have its own level of intensity."

"Girls?" Butch repeated.

"What?" Bubbles asked.

"LOOK OUT!" Brick screamed. Each boy pushed his respective counterpart out of the way of the arachnoids' ever-striking tails. While one only hit a trashcan, the other three each struck a 'ruff's chest dead-on.

"Brick!" Blossom cried.

"Butch!" Buttercup yelped.

"Boomer!" Bubbles wailed. The PPG stared on in horror, and the RRB's faces tightened into scowls as if expecting the world to end. After seconds of inactivity, everyone there glanced momentarily with confusion before the arachnoids attempted rapid-fire stinging on other front areas of the boys' personas.

"Hey!" the girls yelled, knocking the mutants back into the street with eye lasers.

"Are you alright?" Buttercup inquired.

"Sure thing!" Boomer declared, "We can take a lickin' and keep on kickin'!"

"Aw, you gotta work on that," Butch said. The RRB flew so hard out into the streets that they tore up the pavement and almost flung more trash around. The PPG joined them only after the surprise from such new cocky attitudes sunk in. Of course, it only increased with the ferocity of the boys' attacks. It was almost as if the boys tried defeating the arachnoids without the girls' help.

"It's under control!" Brick announced, nearly dominating the action and paying Blossom's concern no heed.

"All done!" Boomer said, ignoring Bubbles' worry.

"Take a rest!" Butch chimed, hitting away his opponent. The force of his punch sent the male Hadogenes flying straight into the female, temporarily knocking them both out cold. And it wasn't long until the other two got knocked down as well, giving the heroes time to ponder. Despite the shock, the PPG couldn't at the same time help admitting how impressed they were by their boyfriends' moves.

"That was better than we expected," Bubbles started.

"Well, you can't stop good kids," Brick said.

"But why take all the action?" Blossom wondered, her next question rather cocky, "Are you trying to impress us?"

"Umm, actually…" Butch started, him and his brothers looking down shyly again. Bubbles and Buttercup pasted on the same sly look. While the girls waited for an answer, the arachnoids took this opportunity to put some distance between opposition and themselves for a new assault. The boys noticed this and broke out of their trance once more.

"Uh oh!" Boomer said.

"Wha…?" the girls wondered. Each boy grabbed his respective girlfriend's shoulders, switched places, and took a successful injection on the back of their heads. "BOYS!" And as it turns out, Threetails had been watching it all the entire time.

"Ooh." That last hit was truly something to keep in mind.

"Oh, guys," Blossom whimpered, "Why'dja hafta be too brave for yer own good? That last hit was meant for us."

"No, ladies," Butch said, "Uh…umm…"

Only Boomer noticed the oncoming scorpion tails initiating a second lucrative hit reserved for the girls again, but Bubbles misinterpreted it. "Look…look…"

"Shhh. You need yer rest, Boom-" Bubbles got cut off once she and her sisters suffered the same positioned injection. They then flopped over on their backs, and all six heroes turned pale with an amorphous greenish mass running along their arms and cheeks. The arachnoids sniffed them over in preparation for a feast but retracted due to some malodor picked up only by arthropods and moved along for more mayhem. Afterward, the PPG and RRB finally found what little strength remained to at least stand on their knees while balancing each other out.

"So this…is what…the Amoeba Boys'…" Brick sputtered, unable to finish.

"Yeah," Blossom managed, "But this is…no…simple…disease. Owwwwwww!"

"It…hurts," Bubbles said.

"I don't…think…we can last," Buttercup said.

"Don't…say that," Butch argued, "I don't…wanna…forget you,"

"Me…neither!" Both green X-creations pulled into a tight hug, tears streaming from their eyes. As anyone else would've expected, the others followed suit.

"We'll…go down…together!" Bubbles wailed.

"Yeah…together," Boomer agreed, somewhat disappointed.

"I…love you," Blossom said.

"I love…you too," Brick responded. All near-lifeless forms sobbed, quaked, hyperventilated, and remained in place. None noticed their skin color returning from head to toe or the injected venom dissolving. After that, each adorable being looked down at themselves and each other upon realizing absence of the pain. They then separated, stood back up, wiped away their tears, and cheered.

"Hurray!" they all chorused.

"The poison's all gone!" Blossom declared, observing her own mitt, "We're healthy again!"

"Now let's go stop those uglies!" Buttercup announced.

"Wait a minute," Boomer interrupted, him and his brothers grabbing the girls' feet and pulling them back down, "Don'tcha wanna hear why we stole all the action?" Whatever it was, be it those words or the way he said it, an idea popped into the girls' heads.

"Actually, yeah, I am curious as to why you keep acting so strange today," Bubbles admittedly realized, "You still doubtful after what we told you last night?"

"That's just it," Brick added, "You girls have done so much for us boys, we wouldn't be where we are today otherwise. You showed us feelings. You helped us redeem ourselves in the eyes of people throughout the world. When it came to approval or rejection for our true integration in Townsville, you voted in our favor. Why, you even let us crash with you. And what have we done in return? Well, not a whole lot."

"You helped us against the Intrepatuff Girls recently," Buttercup reminded.

"Yeah, but not before we wimped out," Butch indicated.

"Friendly gestures and a date can only prove so much," Brick continued, "We wanted to confirm it for real. And it looks like we failed miserably."

"The only thing you failed is comprehension," Blossom said, "Guys, we've been through this enough. You need not go to extreme measures just for us. But since the damage is done, do you now feel comfortable?" The boys immediately made several light confirmation comments.

"What can we say?" Boomer started again, shrugging, "We could never pay you back for all you've done fer us."

"No need," Bubbles assured, "And you already have, even before today."

"Alright, enough standing around," Buttercup concluded, "Let's show those scorpions what else our love can do!"

"Yeah!" the others agreed. The six sped away from the scene and up into the sky for a better view of Townsville, predictably to save time tracking down the arachnoids. Each pair of eyes faced a different direction.

"Nothing over there," Butch announced.

"Nothing there, either," Brick chimed.

"There they are!" Blossom located. Her direction unveiled not only bothersome mutants but also injected victims strewn all over much like the accompanying rubbish.

"Great," Boomer said, "How're we gonna help cure those poor people? None of us got healing powers, and I don't think the same trick will work on them."

"Let's just worry about the scorpions first," Blossom continued, "Otherwise, we'll only have more problems on our hands." Once again, each X-creation took on the same opponents as before. And because none tried too hard, they all finally managed turning the tides against the arachnoids. It all felt surreal once again; the PPG and RRB really liked battling side by side. Besides having partners to watch their backs, it also created that sort of atmosphere only present in true lovers. That's not to say it distracted them from the task at hand, however. Ordinary citizens certainly detected the frustration in the arachnoids' eyes at being unable to take the cuties down. Plus, according to the way the heroes tossed the arachnoids about like a ball, no one remained fixated on his or her opponent for very long.

Eliminating the situated orbs would take much more effort. These orbs were intelligent enough for hefty resistance despite the strain. Still, nothing prevented them from slipping out after the arachnoids got tossed against the side of a building and nearly knocked out. After reverting back, the scorpions found themselves scooped up in one jar each courtesy of Blossom and Brick. The others wondered what to do first while facing the orbs, but what happened next saved them the trouble. Each black sphere fizzled furiously as if preparing an explosion or lightning storm. Bubbles, Buttercup, Boomer, and Butch tensed their arms up for yet another brawl. Blossom, Brick, and everyone else down below stared on in premonition. White light overshadowed a black sky before the orbs faded out harmlessly. As the scene's color returned, citizens watched the four floating X-creations join the two leaders for further orders. "That was weird," Bubbles started, "What now?"

Blossom and Brick eyed the two female scorpions, who appeared to be suffering convulsions. Being the most studious of their trios, the leaders knew better. "Hey, are those things okay?" Butch wondered, "They look sick."

"They ain't sick," Brick explained, "The females are ready to mate."

"Let's get 'em back to the pet store," Blossom concluded. And that's just what they did. In the meantime, Threetails closed off her dimensional portal with a flick of her hand. Yes indeed, today had been quite resourceful. The scorpion demon naturally cared less about the normal scorpions themselves, although their mutated forms might prove handy. For now, she must attend with more pressing matters.

"That'll be all for today," she murmured, "My little brothers and sisters showed off some decent moves, though I hate admitting it. Such forms would look fitting for my new world. I'll keep it around for reference." Threetails gave her arms a good stretch. "My word. I gotta complete my metamorphosis fast. This cocoon form's making me slow. Now, where has my heart flown off to?" Unfortunately, she'd been too busy studying the arachnoids' movements to overhear a certain town's name emit from Blossom's mouth. It was all Threetails could do going into meditation again.

"Awwwwwwwww." Combined voices emanating from the pet shop that evening boasted endearment. A crowd composed of the PPG, RRB, Prof. Utonium, Sara Bellum, and various other faces had gathered around to watch the female scorpions give birth to their young with the males watching blissfully. Masses of scorpion larvae enshrouded the joyous mothers almost entirely while making heads and tails of the larger, outside world. The adult scorpions required their privacy earlier in the actual mating, meaning no one was allowed in just yet, but nobody really cared either way. As long as the babies came through safely, that's all that really mattered. Pet shop workers stood by preventing anyone from moving in too close.

"Look at them all," Boomer noted, "Never thought there'd be so many."

"Yeah, arthropods produce a lot," Brick informed.

"You were right, Blossom," Buttercup admitted, "They are amazing."

"It's like I said before: You can't blame all for the actions of one," was the response.

"Cute, cute, cute," Bubbles put in, "The babies are cute, and their parents make cute couples."

"Just like us?" Butch said.

The six heroes pondered this statement for a few seconds, coming down to one calm, shared acknowledgement the next moment: "Yeah."

The End


	14. After My Own Heart

Vacations didn't come easy for the Utonium family. The Powerpuff Girls' duties almost always kept them from leaving Townsville even once. Going to Citysville was pretty risky; maybe they'd somehow forgotten that one trip through time. Townsville's unusually high disaster rate kept the girls from fully enjoying pastimes like a barbecue or a beach trip. Who knew what kind of havoc Threetails, her remaining orb, no particular criminals, any new major nutcases, or the presently docile Him might unleash with them absent? But that's where the Rowdyruff Boys came through. After much discussion and hesitation, the boys finally convinced the girls and Prof. Utonium to take a weekend trip over northeast. This provided the latter factions to get a better look at the outside world while the former better established themselves in town meanwhile. No worries, the boys' chance would come someday; the others needed it more. The mayor and Ms. Bellum volunteered as joint babysitters until it ended. The professor carried around a watch-like communicator connected to the hotline in case a truly dire emergency came up. So why refuse? "I never said this before, but it sure feels good getting away from Townsville," Blossom commented, "I'm glad the boys talked us into it."

"Yep," the professor agreed, "Nothing but smooth sailing from the daily grind."

"Not a care in the world," Bubbles added.

"No villains to fight, even," Buttercup chimed, "At least, I hope not. Say, Dad, what's the destination?"

"Why, a town named Merringale," was the answer, "I heard it's got a friendly community much like our own Townsville. I hope it's true, unlike that wasteful Citysville." He shuddered at the very name.

"Hey!" Bubbles whispered to her sisters, "That's where Kunlun and Sonny live! We should look 'em up!"

"Um, Dad?" Blossom requested, "You remember those calls we've received from this girl named Kunlun Ying and this boy named Sonny Liao?"

"Surely. What about them?"

"They live in Merringale. Can we stop by their houses while we're there?"

"Yeah, but we'll have to look up their addresses first. Now that I think about it, you girls haven't told me much about these two. What're they like?"

"You mean you never saw them or their families at the food fair?" Buttercup said.

"If so, then I either forgot or didn't get a good look. I was busy obsessing over the various cuisines at the time."

"Actually, our acquaintance goes back a tad further," Blossom explained, "See, their 7th-grade class visited Townsville for a field trip and stopped by at Pokey Oaks. At that time, the two had to act docile since they claim to be wild. Of course, we didn't discover that until both their families attended the food fair. From what we know, they're apparently environmentalist. Kunlun has an older brother named Enlai who really likes string art. Sonny's got a younger sister called Rong who doesn't like having any food on her plate touch each other by a single inch. Don't know much about their parents, though."

"Sound like excited families," the professor commented.

"Bye bye, Townsville," Bubbles said, waving back to the aforementioned city's receding image, "See you next week."

Wearing casual smiles, no one spoke another word for much of the trip. No matter how excited anyone felt, the minivan's occupants knew they must keep calm while waiting so they'd absorb the sights more efficiently. Another hour passed by before a smaller skyline advanced upon the vehicle's windshield. Four smiling mouths widened in anticipation as they rolled on through no particular suburb. Indeed, the streets presented far more inviting milieu than Citysville could've ever hoped to have done in its pre-Threetails days. Not as much trash and virtually no graffiti sullied the scenery. Kids and adults alike waved at the Utonium family as a warm welcome, which they gladly returned. "Wow," Buttercup commented, "Friendly community, huh? Never would've guessed how friendly."

"Dad, you sure you know how ta navigate around Merringale?" Blossom inquired.

"Yep! I got the map right here." After quickly stopping off to one side, the professor pulled out a folded-up map from the glove compartment and looked it over. "Okay, we're on Peach Lane right now…hmmm…the nearest motel is about three blocks down to the right…go north about…ummmm…oh yeah, two blocks! Got it." And though the city's interior looked slightly more dingy, it yet retained its sunny disposition. People worked ever hard and hopeful keeping everything tidy, repairing old roads or sidewalks, selling various goods, etc. Again, the family remained silent until after parking the car and stepping into a motel lobby luggage in hand. Paying the staring faces around any heed would take longer.

"When can we meet up with our friends, Dad?" Bubbles asked.

"In a while sweetie," was the answer, "First, we must unload our stuff here. After that, we'll need a phonebook to find the addresses for the Liao and Ying residences. Then we can look those streets up on my trusty map."

A small patch of beige marble tiles composed the floor around the motel entrance, with luggage carriers; a complimentary snack bar; and shelves of vacation brochures off on one side. Blue-gray walls and mahogany doors dominated the building interior. Red carpeting ran from the lobby all the way down or up hallways. Also in the lobby, cerise furniture surrounded a stone fireplace installed right across the front desk. Though, according to the establishment's lack of customers, business was obviously currently slow. Still, the available clerk greeted them in a casual yet warm manner anyhow but stuttered at first sight of the current vacationers. "Greetings, weary travelers. How can I…help you?"

"Room for four, please," the professor requested, oblivious to the stuttering.

"Um…um…"

"Is everything alright?" Buttercup asked.

The clerk shook his head and snapped back to reality, excited. "Are you three really these Powerpuff Girls I've seen and heard so much about?"

"You know it!" Blossom said, "And as you can tell, we're on vacation right now."

"So you are. How about that: one unexpected surprise after another for such a dull town."

"One unexpected surprise after another?" Bubbles wondered, "What was the first one?"

"You mean you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?" Blossom asked.

"A few weeks back, this strange tiger and dragon pair showed up on the scene and started fighting crime just like you girls. Though, they did start out kinda sloppy, but I think they're getting along fine. Even stranger, this upset foursome appeared out of thin air in the local psychiatric ward before that. Rumor has it the animal pair is responsible."

"You know it," Buttercup confirmed, "We should know because the dragon and tiger fought the Smiths by our side. They teleported the Smiths to the hospital after the battle."

"Teleportation, huh? Can they really do that?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt the conversation, but we're holding up business hours," Prof. Utonium reminded, "A room for four, if you please?"

"Right." The clerk reached under the counter, pulled out a laminated white card, and handed it over. "Here you go, O guests of honor."

"We'll send you an autograph!" Bubbles called as they all went down the first floor's hall, "If we remember!"

A few workers also stared at the girls while passing on by but not for very long. With a sliding of the key card, the door opened and presented yet another welcome sight. This room reminded them so much of that one at the Shady Inn Motel, only cleaner. Light from the windows illuminated fine-looking walls and brownish-yellow homemade curtains. Two queen-sized beds, combination air conditioner/heater, two magenta armchairs, a magenta stool, mahogany wooden table, three mahogany wooden chairs, trashcan, round overhead light, and various other accommodations made the room complete. The girls shared in their father's enthusiasm this time. "Well now!" he declared, "This is what I call great, and that's no lie!"

"You said it!" Buttercup agreed.

"Hey, a bathroom next to the kitchen!" he continued. The girls immediately set the luggage down next to the living room closet and exhaustedly collapsed upon one of the beds. Prof. Utonium made do with an armchair. All stretched their backs and limbs. "Nngh! What a trip!"

"Nice bed," Bubbles commented, rubbing up against it, "Now this is a vacation."

"Dad, change of plans," Blossom spoke, "Can we go visit once we're through resting?"

"Of course," he answered, "We could all use a long break after being cramped up in that car for nearly two whole hours."

"Too bad the boys couldn't join us," Buttercup noted, "Wonder how they're doing right now?"

Only the Intrepatuff Girls, Threetails, or maybe Him could tell what evil might befall the world that weekend. Underneath that grassy patch where a certain pile of unwelcome surroundings once stood, the scorpion demon was finally ready to cause direct mischief once more. No one would dare forget her or the ITG thanks to those accidental orbs. Threetails needed not worry about new competition springing forth since each orb was only temporary anyhow. So what if they bestowed free superpowers? Who cared if the orbs ripped a living creature apart from the inside out? Threetails made it plenty clear she apparently cared little for life besides her Chemical X-based personal guard. Still, those mutated scorpions' forms acted useful in more ways than one. And besides, each orb other than her heart (including that one which had yet to act) was basically a mass of supernatural waste products. Not only couldn't Threetails continue her metamorphosis without it, she wouldn't chance any more extraordinarily strong opposition: especially those using her own essence against her!

"Find anything yet, Mistress?" Penny inquired. For now, the ITG stood vigil around Threetails for an announcement. She'd been in a meditative state for a little more than a night. Although the whole trio maintained an attitude more anxious than usual today, Azalea had greater reason why. The bump from Threetails' previous outburst mostly towards her required further healing time; she obviously didn't want another one or a worse injury. Of course, if the ITG only knew the extension of their creator's falsehood, it was anybody's guess how crushed they might feel.

"Penny, don't interrupt," Tuesday quietly instructed, "She's concentrating."

"Yeah, I'd hate to see her bad side again," Azalea put in, wincing from the head pain.

Threetails opened her eyes. "At last."

"You did it?" a hopeful Tuesday piped up, "You found your heart?"

"Yes. They've possessed a preteen couple living in a place called Merringale."

"Merringale?" Penny said, "I never heard of it."

"It isn't far from our current location."

"They doing something bad with yer heart?" Azalea wondered.

"Unbelievably. Before we go, however, I must recharge my teleportation for another hour. That search took up a fraction of my energy again."

"Wow, how many functions does that heart serve?" Tuesday wondered.

"It's the energy pinnacle for any creature like me. Without it, we can only rely on weak backup generators in our lungs."

"How're you gonna get it back?" Penny added.

"By having those fools surrender it. Here's the plan…"

It was only a few minutes after 12 PM when the Utonium family flew above the rooftops of Merringale searching out the other two families in question. Fortunately, the motel lobby also provided complimentary phonebooks alongside those tourist flyers. The professor barely managed keeping a steady grip on the map since he wasn't used to multitasking in the air outside a plane or other airborne vehicle. People watching from the ground lost interest by the quartet's fifth orbit around. "I'm getting tired again," Buttercup said, "Find anything yet, Dad?"

"From what I remember, the phonebook pinpointed the Liao and Ying residences being on Gamsley Road," the professor said, "And this map says Merringale's only gold and silver fire hydrant is located here."

"Hey, I think I see it!" Blossom announced, "Is that it?"

Prof. Utonium squinted his eyes but couldn't make heads or tails of the object. "I'm not sure. Let's move in closer." So they did just that and naturally set him down gently. He then ran up to the hydrant, studied it for a few seconds, and confirmed their location. "Yep! We're there."

"Great!" Bubbles spoke, "Now to find Sonny and Kunlun."

"Looks like we arrived just in time," Buttercup pointed out. Over yonder, the Chinese pair in question strolled on down the road talking with some other preteens. While the PPG definitely recognized a few from the two's class, the others were a different story. And from the looks of the conversation, Sonny and Kunlun appeared withdrawn, as if avoiding any more close relationships than what they already had. Coincidence or not, the girls would finally get to know how the couple had been doing in crime-fighting and maybe also as sweethearts. The other preteens departed the scene at the next stop sign.

"Okay, see ya next Monday," one of the others spoke.

"Take care," Kunlun returned. Still, nobody noticed the Utonium family until the PPG spoke up.

"Hey, friends!"

The two stopped in place while the four either flew or ran up. "Oh, Powerpuff Girls," Sonny greeted, slightly bowing his head, "Ni hao. Nice to see you again."

"Likewise," Buttercup agreed.

The two then bowed towards the professor while shaking hands. "And you must be Professor Utonium," Kunlun said, "Kunlun Ying. And this is my boy Sonny Liao."

"Yeah, my girls told me about you two. Sorry I couldn't acquaint myself sooner with you and your families at the food fair a while back."

"No biggie," Sonny continued, "Say, where are the Rowdyruff Boys?"

"Back in Townsville filling in for us while we spend the weekend here," Bubbles answered, "They personally convinced us; we needed the relaxation."

"Yeah, that sounds nice," Kunlun said, "C'mon. We'll show you around and introduce you to our families."

After a long yet pleasurable time of giving tours of their houses, the two Chinese then directed the Utoniums to a picnic in the one park closest to Gamsley Road. The professor practically stuffed himself on noodles, soup, and rice as he almost forgot about leaving a remainder of the meal on his plate. But he certainly found Fen and Janet Liao and Zhenbang and Linney Ying, whose families had shared a close bond long before their children were born, to be interesting people indeed. Rong – curly cinnabar hair and clad in a pink blouse and blue shorts – played kickball with Buttercup. Enlai – curly navy hair and wearing an orange t-shirt with black stripes and turquoise pants – knitted an extra-colorful tapestry while Bubbles watched. And Blossom finally got her chance to ask Kunlun and Sonny about their heroic progress. "Is it true you really created those girls?" Janet began.

"Sure did. Well, an old friend kinda 'helped out', but I'm still their legal parent."

"That's fine," Zhenbang chimed, "Are the rumors true that the Powerpuff Girls are dating the Rowdyruff Boys?"

"Uh, I guess so. I never found out myself until recently." The professor's eyes darted across the rest of the park until they lay upon Enlai and Bubbles. "That boy sure looks determined in his knitting."

"He's practiced since the age of 2, all on his own," Linney said, "Not a single lesson taken in his life."

"Interesting," the professor continued, "That's what I call an accomplishment."

"Say, what was up with you and lunch today?" Buttercup asked between kicks.

"I don't get it," Rong said.

"You seemed pretty picky about separating the stuff on yer plate. What's the deal?"

"Letting different foods touch each other on my plate looks nasty and makes it all taste bad. Sonny-xiong calls me a 'notouchatarian'. Not that it's a bad thing."

"Whatever you say. You kick like you're on fire."

"I practice kickball to keep my legs strong. I wanna be a marathon runner one day."

"Doo doo doo doo doo dah dee dah dum dee…" Enlai hummed along.

"Wow," Bubbles commented, "How much work does this take?"

"Quite a bit. Can't miss one single inch of precision."

"What happened to your string art?"

"Aw, that's just freestyle. Knitting curtains, tapestries, rugs, and so forth are my specialty."

"So, Sonny," Blossom started, "Kunlun. How goes the crime-fighting?"

"Not as big as we expected," Sonny answered, "We get some crime around here, just not a whole lot. On the plus side, at least we're improving as we go along. Believe me, we were lousy fighters at first."

"I hear ya. The clerk back at the motel told us this morning. Does anyone else know about yer powers?"

"Nope," Kunlun added, "We came up with this illusionary tactic that creates copies to take our place while the real us goes out for the battle. Still, we really weren't meant for this business like we originally thought."

"How come?"

"The copies may ward off general suspicions, but our schoolwork grades are slipping," Sonny explained, "Secondly, whenever the real us comes back from our heroic duties, people keep asking us why we act so strange. And as I already said before, there's not much criminal activity around here. Merringale has one of the lowest crime rates around."

"You're not giving up, are you?"

"Not necessarily," Kunlun said, "We couldn't say what exactly, but this Threetails has inspired us to keep going. It's as if impending doom might arise should we forfeit our powers."

Blossom didn't have to ask either preteen how they knew about the scorpion demon since they'd already read her, Bubbles, and Buttercup's memories. Through the PPG, Sonny and Kunlun had seen Threetails' first ferocious assault. If she was rumored to be that dangerous, then the girls and RRB may very well need all the available help when the most important battle of their lives ensued for real, not just pretend. That is, if Threetails never required forced forfeiture out of them today. "The mind-reading tactics again, huh?"

"Wei," Sonny said, "About the only thing we can't figure out is why the orbs inside us have outlasted the others. They may have given us mind-reading abilities and so forth, but they themselves remain shrouded in mystery." Suddenly, a stampede of screaming people interrupted the mood. Rong kicked her ball past Buttercup and into a bush. Enlai tossed his tapestry and needles down at frustration of losing concentration. The adults all stood up in alarm.

"Hey," Buttercup asked, drawing a stranger's attention, "Where's the fire?" Rather than say anything, the stranger just pointed towards a smoke puff and then continued running. All three Powerpuffs listened closely and picked up what sounded like eye lasers. "Whatever's going down, I don't like it."

"You mean you gotta leave?" Rong asked.

"'Fraid so, Rong. Duty calls."

"Awwwww," Enlai complained, "I was going along so nicely."

"Don't worry, you can always start over," Bubbles promised, "And I'll be back soon."

"Guess the girls and I better get going," Blossom said.

"Should we join you?" Kunlun queried, motioning to herself and Sonny.

"Errmmm….I don't know…"

"Please?" Sonny requested, "We could be of great service in case the situation gets too ugly."

"Well…uhh…alright. You know what do first." The preteens acknowledged that with a nod. Once the girls flew off, Kunlun and Sonny ducked behind a tree and transformed into a dragon and tiger for the final time in their lives. Their clones assured for the umpteenth time that no one learned the truth. All nine park occupants huddled together defensively, not even suspecting three ominous forms watching from inside the same tree.

Further on down the street, Threetails passed the time away by carving street furrows predictably with her eye lasers. She didn't know how tough Sonny and Kunlun might prove themselves, but she'd willingly pay that high a price finding out. Her assault stopped once the five heroes arrived; the girls hardly felt as much surprised seeing her chrysalis form as they were annoyed at her disturbing the peace. "What took you so long?"

"You ruined our vacation!" Buttercup complained, "And fer that, we're sending you to the same place you sent every lowlife you killed!"

Threetails gave an irked look. "Oh, please. Those lousy excuses for villains were washed-up eelworms compared to me. In fact, now they're just bad memories."

"You ruined our vacation!" Bubbles repeated.

"You already said that. And of course I ruined it; I'm evil." As Threetails loomed in closer, the five put up a defensive stance in expectation. But her attention was chiefly fixated on Sonny and Kunlun, who shed more light on her current form.

"So, you're the mighty Threetails," Sonny observed, "Problem is, the name's misleading: We see no tails."

"You will soon enough," Threetails replied, "Let's just get to the point, okay? You two have something that belongs to me, and I want it back. Now hand it over."

"We never took anything from you," Kunlun defended.

"No, you were victims of circumstance. Haven't you ever wondered why the orbs within you lasted longer than those which strengthened my Intrepatuff Girls and other various faces I dare not mention?"

"Why do you ask?" Kunlun continued.

"Because your orbs are actually my heart split in half. Are you gonna give it back like good little children, or should I rip 'em out?"

Rather than answer, the five pondered this ordeal for a few seconds. Threetails' heart, huh? Yes, that would definitely explain the endurance which previous orbs lacked. Though, the last four orbs could've fooled anyone what with their exhibited intelligence. And from what the girls had seen in countless movies on television, the heart was an extra-vital organ even for demons. "Take her down!" Blossom quickly blurted.

With that, Merringale saw the most intense fighting in its existence. Threetails really couldn't do much more than eye lasers, claw jabbing and swiping, and just simply levitating about. Opposing blasts, land mines, a detachable metal tail, and all sorts of physical blows all but scratched her shell. All in all, she obviously couldn't fight as well as she used to. Threetails eventually landed up against the sidewalk curb with everyone else looming over her. "Is that…the best…you…got?"

"Nope," Blossom answered, "We're just getting warmed up. You can't hide your fatigue, Threetails."

"And to think we thought you might give us a challenge," Buttercup added, "You used to be something fierce, but I guess you lost it."

Rather than respond, Threetails picked herself up and quickly flew straight ahead. Where was she headed? What was she up to? Did it have anything to do with leaving a trail of uprooted pavement and cement? Not waiting for an answer, the five immediately took off after her. All six surpassed the suburbs and entered the green countryside. Before the heroes landed any new blows, Threetails motioned for them to stop where they were. "Not another inch forward. I demand my heart back this instant."

"Forget it!" Bubbles retorted, "They can keep it if they want!"

"Yeah!" the others agreed.

"I thought you might say that. Intrepatuffs!" Once their creator spoke, the ITG floated out of the nearest bushes with hostages in hand. The heroes did a double-take at the sight of Prof. Utonium, Fen, Janet, Rong, Zhenbang, Linney, and Enlai all tied up by Azalea's Energy Whip technique. It was wrapped around their arms, legs, and torsos and covered their mouths and eyes.

"Our families!" Sonny and Kunlun chorused.

"Dad!" the PPG chimed.

A triumphant Threetails floated above the ITG's heads while distressed cries of 'Mmmmmm!' and 'Eeerrrmmpphh!' emanated from the hostages' noses. If she couldn't encourage cooperation by smashing the quintet's bones, then bartering their loved ones would better do the job. "Why, you…" Buttercup started.

"You better not harm one hair on their heads!" Sonny warned.

"Darn you, Intrepatuff Girls!" Bubbles said, "How low can you sink?"

"We were thinking the same thing about yer two friends," Penny shot back, "Mistress Threetails is weak and just wants her heart back. All you gotta do is surrender it, and we'll let yer families go."

"But if we do that, Threetails will be unstoppable!" Blossom protested, "She'll destroy the universe!"

"Not that you have a choice in the matter," Threetails replied, "Refuse, and I'm keeping your loved ones."

"Mmmpphh! Mmmph!" Prof. Utonium grunted and shook his body and head no in sync as if telling them not to listen to the demon. She was right, however: The quintet really didn't have a choice in the matter. While the PPG preferred thinking up a new strategy, Kunlun and Sonny felt indecisive. Penny certainly made a good point despite allegiance: Threetails may have been evil, but the preteens were no better using a defenseless opponent's own powers against her. Either way, now the side of good was at a disadvantage; the two really cared for their loved ones.

"I'm waiting," Threetails said.

Sighing, the pair snapped the girls out of indecision as they stepped forward. "What're you doing?" Buttercup asked. But they ignored the green 'puff and cut the battle short.

"Okay, you win," Kunlun stated, "Just let our families go."

Threetails' eyes widened at the very words she'd only heard in dreams, much like how the RRB boys felt confessing their feelings for the PPG. "Sounds too good to be true. You're serious? Throwing in the towel?"

"Yes," Sonny confirmed, "We surrender our powers."

The demon rubbed her hands in pleasure. "Well, now. You're making the right choice. Come!" With a backwards flick of her pointer finger, the same two blue orbs which empowered the Chinese duo came forth from those chests at their owner's command. In turn, Sonny and Kunlun not only reverted back to humans, but their clones who currently ran towards the same location disappeared into thin air. All except the hostages watched curiously as a slot opened up in Threetails' chest and allowed the orbs back inside. "Ugh…mmmm…" Her body would take some readjusting, however, so she teleported no doubt back to her hideout leaving the ITG holding the bag.

"Okay, she got the dumb heart back," Buttercup said, "Now you let our families go."

"Should I?" Azalea asked.

"Of course," Tuesday answered, "The mistress got what she came for." Instinctively, the once-superpowered preteens ran towards the hostages and became part of a pile once the brown energy ribbon released them. While that all happened, the PPG contended a tad further with the ITG. "See? We're fair."

"Good," Blossom said, "Now could you restore Femme Fatale, Princess Morebucks, and her father back to regular sanity?"

"No, we never liked those nitwits," Tuesday replied.

"What's with you meanies anymore?" Bubbles interrogated, "How can you follow someone so evil and…and…?"

"She's our creator and mistress. We must respect her."

"Even when she hurts you?" Buttercup suggested.

"Intrepatuffs!" Threetails' voice called out, belaying the question, "Come along!" And so the ITG flew on home, not once looking back. The PPG only shook their heads in pity.

No more noteworthy occurrences followed throughout the weekend. Neither Sonny nor Kunlun got chewed out due to a clever excuse: They'd also been captured by the ITG. It turns out Tuesday and Penny had created a dust cloud to keep all except the clones in one spot for Azalea to snag. The brown 'tuff's technique blotted out all seven's sight, and nobody kept proper track of the tiger's or the dragon's voices anyhow; their secret was eternally safe. On the weekend's finish, the Utonium family quickly stopped at Gamsley Road for one last visit. Rong and Enlai had other activities around Merringale to keep them busy, and the professor exchanged knowledge for knowledge via family history with the parents. That left the two certain preteens to discuss other matters privately with the PPG. "I guess that's that," Blossom began, "Sorry you two had ta give up yer powers like that."

"No biggie," Kunlun reassured, "There was probably no avoiding it anyhow. Frankly, we're glad it didn't happen any other way. The police can take over from where we left off; Merringale's been pretty safe for the most part."

"Does this mean you'll go back to the way you used to be before that field trip?" Bubbles inquired.

"Yeah, but with a twist," Sonny chimed, "Sorry that mess ruined yer vacation. Guess you didn't get the relaxation you wanted, huh?"

"We did," Buttercup countered, "And don't you worry about Threetails or the Intrepatuff Girls. You did a good job while it lasted."

"Eh, it's in our personality description," Kunlun shrugged, "We're very patriotic."

"Come along, girls!" the professor called, "Time to go home!" The girls exchanged goodbye waves with the couple as they floated into the minivan. Both opposing factions continually stared eye to eye until neither saw the other anymore. Outside of Merringale, while vacation time concluded, the girls stared wordlessly and determinedly in the direction of Townsville. After today, it was time to once again join the modus operandi.

The End


	15. Closing Act

Townsville came one step closer with trading in chaos for peace, but it just wasn't there yet. Like every other villain, Threetails knew how to stir up a ruckus without even trying. Although her absorptions eliminated several old threats, many new ones stood immediately born no thanks to the energy orbs born out of accepting Mojo Jojo's essence. Threetails might've never gotten her heart back from the possessed preteens in Merringale had she not created or enlisted the Intrepatuff Girls for assistance. Now she could resume her quest for another major source of negativity and complete her metamorphosis. But what of that final orb? Either way, the scorpion demon really didn't care. No matter who became the avatar – human or beast – her true form was far more attention-grabbing anyhow. One temporary, spherical energy mass paled in comparison to what Threetails would soon become. Then again, maybe she'd take advantage of its destructive tendencies and use it as a distraction for the Powerpuff Girls and Rowdyruff Boys.

In fact, at present, Threetails and the ITG did nothing more than watch that red orb lay upon a fingertip of what appeared to be nothing more than a mechanical arm only a millimeter away from an opening. Of course, since the young trio had grown wary of their mistress because of recent incidents, questioning her actions became more frequent. And from what the interdimensional window offered, the metal limb seemed quite undisturbed. Nearly a minute passed along before Penny broke the silence. "Are we watching some new nature show?"

"I should say not," Threetails answered, "We're waiting for that orb to make the first move."

"How come?" Azalea put in. The demon clutched her temples, sighed, and shook her head.

"We mean no disrespect, Mistress," Tuesday explained, "It's just that, truthfully, you haven't even explained your next move. We have stood here for about fifteen minutes or so."

"And we'll keep standing for as long as it takes. That orb must empower that machine part so it can keep the Powerpuffs and Rowdyruffs at bay while I track down my next power source. I need the diversion to keep them off my back."

"Why not just send us out?" Penny suggested.

"Because your last scuffle with those hateful brats has poisoned my trust in you." Tuesday and Penny stood worried as Threetails eyed the trio spitefully. Azalea even fearfully covered her head expecting another abusive correction. "I never forget a disgrace."

"Take it easy," Azalea whimpered, "Please."

"Yeah, Mistress," Tuesday added, "We acknowledge our mistake; we'll do anything to redeem ourselves."

"Yeah," Penny chimed, cracking a nervous smile, "You know us, always happy ta help."

After eyeing them for a few seconds longer, Threetails calmed down and faced the screen once more. "I'm sure you are. Maybe the frustration of world domination has clouded my judgement." She waved them off. "Go on and play quietly in your room. Grab a snack if need be. I'll come get you if anything new comes up."

"Seriously?" Azalea asked, arms down and feeling hopeful, "We don't hafta watch anymore?"

"Did I stutter? Go do whatever you want, but keep it down and in your room."

"Um…okay," Tuesday said.

"Thanks, Mistress!" all three concluded, floating away and waving. When the door shut, Threetails shook her head again. Maybe if not for all these disadvantages, she imagined herself getting along nicely without underlings. Oh well, that was life; just have to play mother until the end of time.

Meanwhile, the PPG and RRB had their own discussion revolving around the orb incidents. Was it inspired by any particular orbs? Those four black ones certainly put up a better fight once expelled from the pet store scorpions. Or did Sonny and Kunlun's alleviation from their superhero duties or lack thereof bring up the current subject? Whatever the reason, the six knew they must stop fooling around and put Threetails away. Charts and written notes littered the living room carpet. Blossom and Brick naturally assumed speaking positions (although the former talked more) as their siblings sat on the couch patiently listening. "I still think it's a shame it happened," Butch said, "You girls and Dad were supposed ta enjoy yerselves, take a break from the daily grind."

"Yeah, you already said that," Blossom responded, "But what's done is done. Besides, Sonny and Kunlun don't mind. All we can do now is look ahead and see what we can do about the future. We've waited long enough."

"Gotcha," Buttercup acknowledged, "Lay it on us, we're listening."

Blossom picked up a chart and two note sheets. "Okay. I went through the calendar and marked down every time the Intrepatuff Girls, Threetails, or anyone infected by an orb caused mayhem within the past few weeks. Out of all fifteen, only four have attempted putting up a fight of endurance before fading out. As we learned from our trip, Threetails has been pretty quiet because two of those orbs were actually her heart separated two ways, thereby effectively neutralizing most of her abilities."

"Then all the TV movies are true," Boomer assumed, "A demon's heart is his or her…uhhhh…"

"Central Achilles heal. For the most part, the heart is one out of two extremely vital organs to a mortal or immortal creature's being, the second being the brain. Like I said, Threetails' abilities were neutralized when she lost it. But now that she's got it back, there's no doubt she's regained her danger level from what we last remember."

"Which leads up to my story now," Brick began, picking up his own notes and charts, "My research revolves around a certain cross-dressing lobster. He's been even quieter ever since that African Piquant scuffle you girls told us about. And judging by the way things have gone lately, that guy's the only jerk whose hair Threetails hasn't even touched yet."

"I say he's either biding his time just like her or given up completely," Butch guessed.

"I doubt the second one, bro. Him resurrected and once fathered us, he's not one to give up no matter how annoying the competition."

"So why'd you two call us here?" Bubbles asked, "I was in the middle of some very important coloring."

"Because we've played around long enough," Blossom answered, "Sure, it's been our style waiting for our enemies to bring the fight to us rather than go looking for trouble. But we don't need any extra reminders how insistent Threetails is in comparison. The previous fight made that plenty clear. No more; it must end now."

After exchanging a quick glance, the blue and green X-creations stood up from the couch and gathered around the leaders. "Okay, what's the plan?" Buttercup asked.

"Brick and I will patrol Townsville's east side in search of that last orb. Buttercup, you and Butch take the west side. Whoever reaches it first, don't hesitate to destroy it.

"Got it!" Butch acknowledged.

"What about us?" Boomer asked, motioning to himself and Bubbles.

"Boomer, you and Bubbles inspect the area of that former black lake," Brick added, "See if you can find any clues around there. And if you discover any entrances to the hideout below, contact the rest of us immediately."

"How so?" Bubbles wondered.

"With these," Blossom answered. The leaders then each pulled out three communicator devices shaped like dog tag necklaces and handed one to each respective sibling. "Dad built six new ones which we can just speak through without the use of any microphones if a situation gets too tough. They also have homing beacons that activate upon incurring damage."

"Awesome," Butch commented, "I always favored one o' these things."

"Don't forget jars with lids to capture the orb," Brick ordered, "You remember what happened every time somebody's made physical contact. Let's move out." The heroes all quickly tidied up the room, made a quick stop in the kitchen, and departed.

"Ah, what a trip," a melodious male voice rang out. The tranquility of movie clips for wallpaper, various floating objects, and floating islands gave way to a puff of red smoke from which a satisfied Him emerged. As Brick said, the self-acclaimed 'king of darkness' hadn't done a whole lot ever since Threetails settled near Townsville. Like the Utonium family, Him needed a vacation for relaxation and amusement. Torturing only one planet got pretty boring. However, only time passing during his absence would fix his mental block. "Nothing like a stroll around the cosmos to relieve a demon of his or her burdens." He set his bags and souvenirs down in one corner, flipped on the television set, and channel-surfed. "Now, how have my friends in Townsville been doing this whole time?" Clips of battles with orb avatars such as the Smiths, the scorpions, Washout, and Ms. Keane were actually pretty amusing. Threetails getting her heart back hardly struck a chord. But Him's eyes nearly bugged out at the sight of the PPG and RRB battling the mutated ITG. "**WHAT'S THIS? MY BOYS FIGHTING ALONGSIDE THOSE GIRLS?** **HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN OUT?** And when did they get a haircut and groom?"

Him rapidly flipped through those channels and came across the one time the RRB took on their inner demons with aid from the PPG. His shock at not properly keeping up with pre-Threetails events, much like Mojo, overshadowed possible amazement of the fight's intensity. The evil Rowdyruffs may as well have considered the malady a good joke had the scorpion demon not absorbed them that night. It turns out they'd lied to Him about permanently ridding themselves of their better halves. Because the bad ones boasted no presence of the good ones inside of them, that was all the lobster really wished to know. He felt no need to focus his efforts anywhere else except on a faulty diamond-wishing legend and so never discovered the good ones hiding around Washout's previous hometown. "Kicking you out?" Blossom's voice echoed, "Guys, you never even heard our final answer of the debate. We want you to stay and use your powers to fight evil."

"No!" Him wailed, "Say it isn't so!"

"It's where you belong…will you join us?" she continued.

"Ahhhh! It burns!"

"…we're in love with you," came Brick's voice.

"No you aren't! It's all a bad nightmare!"

"Those kisses you gave us were the sweetest thing we ever experienced in our lives, even if they destroyed us," Boomer's voice continued, "No one else taught us anything about emotions."

"I'm dreaming! Wake me up!"

"Yeah, you girls look pretty yourselves," Butch's voice echoed.

"Heh heh heh heh," Him tittered, hitting himself and bordering psychotic, "It's all a bad nightmare. Wake up, you old crustacean you."

"Who're you supposed to be, sister?" Evil Butch's voice sounded.

"A predator," the projected Threetails concluded. That did it. Watching his stolen seed fly down his old schoolmate's jowls turned Him into his own raging volcano.

"**THREETAILS!"**

The scream echoed throughout the county, not only spooking animals and bothering human people from their burdens but also nearly bursting another of Townsville's many hydroelectric dams. Some water gushed over the ledge. A huge, apparent crack almost led to a rubble-filled torrent until Blossom and Brick broke away from their search for quick repairs. The two then stood upon the riverbanks below contemplating. "Wow," Brick started, "It sounds like Him got a stomachache and a toothache from too much candy."

"Well, you heard him mention the name 'Threetails'," Blossom said, "She must've done or said something pretty bad to get him started like that."

"I wonder why no one'll say his real name? What could be so bad about it?"

"Didn't he tell you and yer brothers?"

"Not that I recall. We were completely restrained at the time until Dad's laser captured us. Boomer told me he felt a stimulating sensation which let 'im see you all dress Bubbles up like him to capture mine and Butch's counterparts. I'm guessing that combined with you girls' kindness is what sprung the real us free. Anyway, if Him did tell us his real name, we forgot."

Arms crossed, Blossom looked thoughtful of her boyfriend's story. "But I thought me and the girls' kisses did the trick."

"Yes. Your kisses separated good from bad, but that laser provided the necessary boost to fight back."

"Oh, that makes sense. Guess it wasn't a total loss after all."

Over on the west side, Buttercup and Butch had found nothing within city limits and so took their search to the outskirts. Him's scream fortunately caused no notable damage here, so they only worried about what grueling energy they must continue spending in a more open setting. By yet another coincidence, the pair stood upon the one 'special' polluted ditch. "Yecch," Butch said, "Gum wrappers, dead batteries, puddles of black and brown stuff I'd rather forget…how can people be so thoughtless?"

"They just are," Buttercup shrugged.

"Why'd you choose to land here?"

"I thought I saw some shiny red object around here somewhere. Who knows, it might be the orb. Now we can put one of our jars to good use."

"I'm not seeing it."

"So keep a sharp eye out. It can't be far."

"Hmmm…" Bubbles began, tapping one foot on solid ground. Nothing noteworthy occurred around the green patch once dominated by a black lake, either. Not only had grass long since grown in place, but soil also instantly filled the gap and brought it to sea level. Even so, Bubbles preferred she and Boomer not land just yet until she inspected it and confirmed its ostensible safety.

"Is it safe to land yet?" Boomer asked, "Of course, we could just fly around. We don't hafta land."

"Yeah, but Threetails might've put up a shield to block our x-ray vision. This is more reliable." Bubbles touched down on both feet, marched two steps in place, and coached her sweetheart down. "All's good, Boomer. You may land.

Boomer did just that. "So, what're we looking for again? The orb? An entrance?"

"Either one. You remember what Brick said." The pair got down on all fours and literally tapped the ground with their mitts. Down below, whereas the ITG again remained blissfully unaware, Threetails now had all three scenes filling her screen. Paying the redheads no heed, she focused more on the other two scenes. She certainly put up a shield rendering the hideout closed off from outer forces (more than just x-ray vision) but dared not take any chances should the blonds find another means in. The aforementioned shiny red object was the last orb which the brunettes were dangerously close to. That would provide the necessary distraction for hunting down the needed major source of negativity: Him. (Threetails felt plenty exasperated at not realizing it sooner; oh well.)

Of course, the orb needed the right motivation first. It remained ever static until Threetails' glowing eyes made it glow even brighter. Jiggling, flinching, and a few bounces finally caught Butch and Buttercup's attention. "Hey, look!" Butch pointed out, "I think I found it!"

"I see it!" Buttercup said, "That must be the orb!"

"Yeah, and it looks like it's trying to get inside this bluish gauntlet thing that reeks of Mojo."

Buttercup's eyes widened in realization. Like every other experience, fights against said monkey remained a clear picture on the mental shelves in the back of her mind. The crazed figure was hard enough what with his stubborn multifaceted persistence, enormous array of dirty tricks, and overall battle lust. Mojo Jojo's defeat seemed a funny thing owing to anyone's struggles against him but probably shouldn't be overrefined since some had witnessed stranger days. If the pair really did make out an orb, which might demonstrate the same endurance as the black ones, an item currently nothing short of scrap metal might put on quite a torturous display before the day ended. "Uh oh! We gotta stop it!" Not asking questions, Butch followed his girlfriend's lead. Unfortunately, a swipe of Threetails' fingers made the orb elude the green 'puff's grip. The two stared on in mixed shock and confusion. "Nooooo. We're too late."

"Yep. The arm doesn't seem like a big deal right now, but that orb's gonna make us eat our thoughts."

"You have no idea." Rumbling and a red glow from the arm inspired the two to use their eye lasers in a vain attempt to stop whatever was going on. But whatever lingering power reactivated by the appropriate catalyst wouldn't allow them success as a flash and shockwave knocked the pair about a mile away. Predictably, their siblings caught on via the aforementioned homing beacon.

"Uh oh!" Boomer exclaimed.

"Chaos at 1 o'clock!" Blossom declared.

Smoke enveloped the ditch. A charbroiled Buttercup and Butch shook their heads. "Are you alright?" the former asked.

"You know it," the latter answered. When the smoke cleared, a moment's calm preceded a fountain of machinery erupting from the fingerless end and expanding in all directions. Both green-clad X-creations eyed a towering robot colored blue and purple whose ankle they happened to be the size of.

"I am a reconfigured entity from Mojo Jojo's blueprints," the robot spoke in a genderless and naturally monotone voice, "Today is your last breathing moment."

"This may take a while," Buttercup said.

"Whaddaya mean?" Butch asked, "Can't we take it?"

Before Buttercup could respond, a blast from a cannon hidden underneath the robot's left wrist – rather than blow anything or anyone up – infused supernatural electromagnestism into other electronic trash to create countless little monsters with an appetite for Chemical X. Some crawled, some slithered, others flew around, but all wanted a piece of the heroes figuratively and literally. Teeth and claws gnashed at the helpless pair while the robot watched. For each one they smacked aside, eight more took its place. Blasts had absolutely no effect. Even when the other four heroes lent a helping hand (or mitt), the calamity lasted a minute longer before the anthropomorphic rubbish fell limp. "Finally, it's done," Boomer commented. All twelve eyes then faced the robot. "Who's that jerk?"

"Or what," Blossom stated, "Obviously stinks of Mojo. No pun intended, again."

"That's exactly what **I** said," Butch explained, "Oh, and it said so itself."

"We found the last orb and tried to stop it," Buttercup said, "But it was too quick and powerful."

"Now how're we gonna trap it?" Bubbles wondered.

Brick flew right up to the static robot's face. Not once did the latter even meet the former's gaze. "Okay, bub. You wanna make a mess, you gotta face…huh?" On the word 'face', the red 'ruff unintentionally thrust his mitt into the metal figure's cheek without hitting a solid mass. The others moved in for a closer look themselves.

"What's going on, Brick?" Butch asked.

"Look!" Brick ran his mitt in the cheek again and also flew through the torso. "What in blazes?"

"It's not solid!" Bubbles stated, "Did it turn into a ghost?"

"No, it's just a projection," Blossom pointed out, "Must be a new trick conjured up after the orb recharged it." At that, the said projection fizzled out into nothingness. The PPG and RRB then clutched their 'ears' at multiple laser cuttings emitted from Townsville. Heads turned, they saw laser spears cutting through buildings' corners at a snail's pace. Blossom shrugged anxiously. "Figures. Leave it to Threetails to have someone truncate every polyhedron in sight."

Falling building pieces, nuts and bolts strewn all over, and more monsters made from just about all machines in sight like vehicles and streetlamps gave the heroes virtually no time to attack the root of all problems. People and objects got set down neatly. The heroes had no choice but to destroy anything monster-turned (who knew, maybe they'd find a means to repair the damage afterward). Other obstacles like killer blenders and synthesizers were immediately incinerated. A short while passed before the robot paused its rampage long enough to stare them face to face again. "Enough playing around, metal face!" Boomer demanded, "Time to turn yourself over!"

The robot instead extended its limbs to hit the sextet while they flew in all directions. The head did the same in an attempt of putting the bite on Bubbles. Only she and Boomer were worried and therefore didn't see through it. "Oh, please," Butch scoffed, "Oldest trick in the book." No one suspected Him might be watching also, having completely forgotten his earlier malady.

"Oh, it's just too easy!" he exclaimed, "The poor robot wants playmates! I must assist!" Him set the remote down and walked up close to the television set. As he took careful aim, the heroes' eyes widened and their mitts powered down and floating ceased at the waving of his claw. "Ooh, girls. Boys. What's the point of attacking?"

Although the kids' faces now looked fearful, the voice tones in which they spoke also exhibited entrancement. "What's the point of attacking?" Buttercup began.

"Huh?" the robot wondered, its weapons systems also powering down.

"You're just normal little children," Him continued chanting, "Better get going while the going's still good!"

"We're just normal little children," Bubbles repeated, "Better get going while the going's still good!" With a snapping of the lobster demon's claw, the heroes ran the opposite direction whimpering. The robot stared on in a confused manner for a few seconds, shrugged, and continued opening fire upon them missing all the while.

"Escape is futile, children. You are only delaying your inevitable death."

However, not everybody was either pleased or scared at the fight's latest development. Threetails especially didn't like a rival demon manipulating her essence in any way, shape, or form; that course of action was reserved for her alone. "What? Who does the inferior crustacean think he is? …Oh well. I guess it's time." She left the screen in place, opened the ITG's bedroom door, and floated inside where the trio sat on their bed busying themselves with Quill. "Excuse me, Intrepatuffs."

"Oh, hello Mistress," Penny greeted, "Nothing new, just bouncing Quill on our knees."

"Of course you are. You can stay on the bed, but line up." The three complied, their legs dangling over the foot of the bed. Their eyes kept in sync with Threetails as she floated up close behind them.

"Are we playing some new game?" Azalea queried.

"Not quite. How about a nice massage?"

"Well, we really don't need one, but…" Tuesday began, only to get cut off by a comfortable feeling. Threetails' fingers, though sharp, administered a wonderful shoulder and neck massage on each girl in rapid-fire succession. "Ahhhhh."

"Ohhhhhh," Penny added.

"Mmmmm," Azalea chimed.

"Feeling tired?" the demon asked, unleashing a sleeping gas from her mouth upon the girls. Dreary eyes gave way to a concluded massage.

"Erm…now that you mention it…" Tuesday puffed, "All of a sudden…I could use…forty winks…"

"Yeah…" the other two chorused before all three passed out. A slot much like the one accepting Threetails' heart opened up over her left lung and expelled a flashy gray light which turned the ITG into orbs of yellow, silver, and brown and vacuumed them up before closing again. Afterward, Threetails returned to the screen but saw no change just yet.

"What idiocy. Time to sever this connection." With glowing eyes, the scorpion demon brought the dazed heroes back to reality just as another blast of the robot's energy made silicon tentacles sprout out of a broken computer's monitor.

"Hey," Butch started, him and the others temporarily ignoring their surroundings, "What just happened? I feel like someone messed with my head." They snapped out of the ignorance once the metal menace stepped into view.

"Your change of heart intrigues me yet matters less."

"Funny it should mention a change of heart," Him commented to his own screen without being heard, next yelling, "**I WAS WONDERING THE SAME THING!"**

"Don't you know anything?" Threetails' voice echoed. Him turned around to see her materialize before him. Whatever happened, he'd ensure she never got what she badly wanted. Both momentarily stared eye to eye until Threetails made the first greeting. "Hello, Grendel."

Him jolted, giving way to a smile. No one paid heed to an antique vase shattering in a corner of the room. "Why, Threetails! No one's ever addressed me that way since the 8th century! I guess this means the jig's up, at least name-wise." Taking on a bored expression, he turned back around and shooed her away. "You bore me. Kindly depart the premises."

But as he got in place to watch more television, Threetails abruptly floated in front and blocked the screen. Annoyance wrote itself on his face. "The evilest of evil, huh? I think you mean the wimpiest of wimpy."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Too late. But before I go on insulting you, there are a few things I simply must know. First off, about that riddle with the fake and real teacher. It's been revealed Blossom chose the wrong one despite that her reasoning was correct."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. Let's say Teacher 2 is real and Teacher 1 is fake: Both know who's who. #2 knows #1 will lie and call herself the real one. Since #2 speaks only truth, she says as much to Blossom and names herself the real one. #1 one knows this and will answer with a lie, saying that #2…um…" From the look in her adversary's eyes, the scorpion demon cut the topic short realizing they'd both get a headache from the whole shebang. Him's television screen now displayed the robot standing triumphant on a multiple-eyed sphere monster matching eye lasers with those of the PPG. In the meantime, the RRB attempted taming a mutated Twiggy. Both comebacks were constructed from mechanical parts. "Anyway, choosing #2 should've led to both teachers' demise. What, you threw in some reverse psychology or other?"

"Call it a happy accident. I myself forgot I switched the two Ms. Keanes around. Ever hear the expression 'Even when they win, they lose'? Still, I gotta hand it to Blossom: Right or wrong, she saw through me."

"Like all the other ten or twenty times, I'm sure?"

"**DO YOU REALIZE WHOM YOU'RE TALKING TO?"**

"I'm the one asking the questions here. Next question: What's with the diner?"

"Another of my countless hobbies, of course. Plus, earning income doesn't come easy like my figure."

Now Threetails was annoyed. "Earning income? I thought stuff like that was 'too trivial'. And don't you dare bring up my past estate on the Kalahari Desert, because I'm completely over it. Your 'hobby' might make a lot more sense if you put something in your products that, I don't know, make human beings and animals turn into demons?"

"I already did that: It's called a hate spell."

"Come to think of it, why would you need a dentist to fix yer teeth when you can just regenerate 'em?"

"You're awfully full of questions tonight. Got nothing else better to do, I take it?"

"I suppose not. You really have become a bigger walking joke ever since high school. You could've finished those heroes off long before I came into the fray. I actually admit your true form would scare stunt people. But then I think back to the day when Buttercup dished out the kind of punishment where other types weren't enough a la forcing out the enamel stones inside your oral cavity. I'd say the humiliation is what led to assimilating into that unnecessary mortal conglomerate; a nice double antidote."

An ironic remark about the Beat Alls indeed, considering how well their ugly mugs aided Threetails in her training. No matter how much hot air the uninvited guest blew off, however, Him remained ever untouched. He shook his head and rolled his eyes before responding. "Oh, to be young and inexperienced. Honestly, Threetails, it makes no sense how and why the teachers let you graduate with actual professionals such as myself. Then again, I suppose I too would be in a hurry to eliminate you from my class for being an impertinent annoyance. You also forgot that I could've finished off the competition sooner. Why not? **IT'S CALLED PATIENCE!"**

The scorpion demon stared dumbfounded for a few seconds. "Uh, I saw yer lips flapping, but nothing came out."

"Ah, I almost forgot. **WHO ARE YOU TO ACCUSE ****ME** **OF RELYING ON MORTALS, MISS INTREPATUFF MOMMY?** Yes, that's right. What about your girls, hmm?"

"Unlike you to your former 'comrades', I treat my Intrepatuff Girls not as equals but as the underlings they really are. Frankly, the only thing you've ever been good for is sitting on your duff letting television sets turn your brain into mush."

"Yes, yes. We can't all be billion-IQ interior decorators. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a spell to restore." Him's attention returned to his television set where the PPG and RRB had somehow made short work of the last aforementioned monsters but hadn't yet reached the robot. Unfortunately, Threetails barred her indifferent schoolmate's chances by grabbing the set, snapping its cord, and tossing it right through the nearest wall where it smashed into several pieces after plummeting several miles down. Then she continued her rants.

"Again with that riddle: 'The Powerpuffs' must solve a series of riddles or the professor will pay'. What miserable excuse for a major enemy would string opponents along just to have some idiot customer in some idiot establishment pay full price for a dumb pancake meal that isn't worth the shirts on their backs? And one more thing: You only resurrected the Rowdyruffs because you can't beat a group of pitiful children yourself. Lazy." Yawning, a bored Him turned away and walked towards the far back without another care. He knew very well what Threetails had planned; she wasn't ranting simply just to get some things off her mind. "That's it? You're just gonna walk away after the insults, mockery, and even destruction of private property? Looks like I stand corrected."

He turned around and continued speaking calmly. "Threetails, my dear old friend. I'm already on to you: You're only doing these things so you can get me all riled up in order to absorb my essence, thereby completing your little metamorphosis. I'm not dumb." He fiddled around with his goatee momentarily while in deep thought, eventually assuming a battle stance. "Although, I guess I owe you double for the two favors you've done me: eliminating my greatest competition, Mojo; and **FINISHING OFF MY BOYS!** Just be warned nothing you do will push me to my limit."

"We shall see." And a new fight began. Unlike the one in Townsville and even with a hole in the wall, no one outside felt the effects of these other two supernatural forces clashing together sky high due to a new shield. Hefty comparisons resulted: Brick and Him simultaneously and respectively delivered a high kick to an anthropomorphic car's bumper and Threetails' chin; Threetails swiped at Him's chest the same minute Bubbles did so with something resembling a feral version of her favorite rabbit girl; and so forth. Of course, the feuding demons gave each other a slightly harder time: Threetails couldn't quite keep up with Him, and everything he threw her way all but scratched her shell.

"Ooh, what have we here?" Taking interest in the black void where the scorpion demon's legs once existed, the lobster found the right opportunity to zip right inside it in hopes of finding a weakness. Instead, Threetails waited for three seconds before her eyes darted towards another wall where Him popped out through a black portal that disappeared just as quickly. "What just happened?"

"Like I must answer?" Colliding lasers the next moment created a temporary smokescreen in the entire complex. Him seemingly stood all alone once it cleared. Looking around but finding nothing, his grin inspired a wrong guess.

"Well, well. Looks like I emerge victorious! **SO MUCH FOR YOUR METAMORPHOSIS, SCORPION TAIL BUTT!"**

"Oh, Grendel," Threetails sang. The red creature's face went slack at seeing his most prized possession situated within her claws.

"Mr. Quackers?"

Shaking her head disgustedly, Threetails bobbed the duck up and down while mock-voicing just to add further insult. "So, you really like this duck. 'Oh, please Master! Save me from her stupid clutches!'"

"**WHY YOU!** **COME HERE, INTREPATUFFS!"** Understanding where this tactic was headed, Him opened up a portal to his side into the shelled monster's lair so he could imitate it. Too bad he hadn't paid attention earlier. "**COME HERE YOU LITTLE…**ummmm…errrrr…" Disbelieving, he pulled his arm back and let the portal disappear.

"Looking for my girls?" Threetails tapped the left side of her chest with her free hand. "I thought you might try that, so I thought ahead. You'd hafta crack my shell in order to get them out."

"Or do I?" Again, Him flew into the black void but experienced déjà vu. But he also at least managed a kick at her hand that made the duck go sailing through the air and into his claw. "Oh, Mr. Quackers. Did that big bully hurt you?" He nuzzled the duck for a second. "Just settle down. Everything will be…"

ZAP! Threetails' eye lasers reduced the duck to black ash while Him was distracted. Silence rang throughout. For about a minute or so, Him felt the same voice-stealing disappointment and frustration as Bubbles had from a ripped-up Octi. Much like the stuffed cephalopod did with the blue 'puff, the lobster demon always found comfort via Mr. Quackers no matter how dire his situation at having a scheme foiled. All his power would never replace it. Only snarling, glowing green eyes, a black aura, red gas, and what appeared as a familiar physical mutation addressed the situation. Threetails watched calmly as her opponent faded into darkness and the realm around fade into a more foreboding setting.

Blackness and stars replaced everything else at first. Even the wall hole had automatically sealed up. Threetails saw the following come her way: a red Earth; city, land, and water as often appeared through a telescope; and finally a wrecked Townsville under a blood-red sky. Widespread desolation in conjunction with a plain eerie feeling the PPG would've recognized looked as if it might've swallowed the faintest decency possible. Evidently untouched, Threetails almost felt as if she crossed over into another reality. "Hmmm…red sky…smashed buildings…litter…red clouds…what a comfy sight. All that's missing are…" Groaning sounds caught her attention; haggard citizens gathered from a distance as if expecting a show. "…oppressed mortals and a demon seigneur…" A giant foot stomped before her. "…to boot."

Her eyes panned up at the sight. Black steel claws; thick black legs; pink fur at the tulle and hemline; muscle-bound cubiti and chest; curved horns; glowing green eyes; and a grin gave way to Him's true form. Threetails' eyes squinted in unfeeling joy at the thought of absorbing such a huge amount of negativity. Continued groaning now sounded like cheering. "**HOW DO YOU LIKE ME ****NOW****, THREETAILS? FEELING SCARED?"**

"Neither your voice nor your new form scare me one bit. Nothing I did would push you, huh?"

"**THE TRUTH REMAINS YOU'LL NEVER SUCCEED! MAYBE IT'S BEST YOU PULLED THAT LITTLE STUNT. THANKS TO YOU, I'VE BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO GAIN THE ULTIMATE CONTROL I CRAVE! NOT EVEN THE POWER OF CHEMICAL X CAN STOP ME NOW!"** He leaned down to address her better. "**BUT FIRST, I SHOULD SHOW YOU MY THANKS: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!"** With that, Him grabbed Threetails and tossed her far into the heart of the imaginary Townsville. Her impact up against what remained of Townsville Hall crumbled it the rest of the way.

"Oh, please. Is that yer best?"

"**I'M JUST GETTING WARMED UP!"** Nearly dodging his foot, the scorpion demon fought back some more but to little avail. In her chrysalis stage, Threetails really couldn't do much more than levitation, eye lasers, and claw jabbing and slashing. More destruction came forth as a result of their battle. None of the citizens bothered dodging fresh rubble; anyone who did get hit disappeared into thin air receiving no second look. After flinging her into the same spot where Citysville (or the green patch disguising her hideout) belonged, Him decided he'd raise the stakes via a double claw-snapping. Once Threetails regained all composure, she soon found herself face to face with just about every enemy Townsville's protectors ever faced: Mojo Jojo in his gargantuan form; Princess Morebucks with silver cybertomic armor; Roach Coach's same roach collage; Sedusa; the Chemical X-empowered Gangrene Gang; the evil Rowdyruffs; Femme Fatale; Robbing Leach; Patches; Washout as a whale human; the mutated Smiths; an enraged Fuzzy Lumkins; Mr. Mime; the Broccoloids; etc. All stood around Him amongst the townspeople. "**SAY HELLO TO SOME OLD FRIENDS! THEY'VE BEEN DYING TO GET THEIR OWN PIECE OF YOU!"**

"Bring it on."

Meanwhile, right after delivering a fatal knockout to the machine version of Powerpuff Girl Bunny, the PPG and RRB stood on the pavement catching their breath while the robot was now nowhere to be found. They kept a wary look on their surroundings as well as each other should he literally attack from out of thin air. "This guy's really got a larger bag full of tricks this time," Bubbles stated.

"Blame it on Threetails," Brick chimed. Suddenly, yellow laser blasts out of thin air (no doubt effects from Him's illusion) broke the group apart and resumed the mayhem. The boys happened to land closer to the horde of new Broccoloids – somehow non-machine – than the girls.

"What the?" Boomer wondered, "Walking vegetables?"

"Time to pack it in!" Butch announced.

"Boys, wait!" Blossom called. But nothing stopped the boys from attacking first and asking questions later. Boomer's kick broke off one soldier's legs. A head-butt courtesy of Butch literally split another in half. A third lost part of its head when Brick landed a punch. Green chunks littered the streets. It wasn't long until the Broccoloids' regenerative abilities inspired a retreat behind some bushes. The street now appeared near its maximum occupancy.

"Regeneration!" Brick complained, "Ugh!"

"We tried to tell you," Buttercup said, "Here, we'll show you how it's done." The girls flew back into the open, dodging lasers while consuming soldiers in one or two bites each. Inspired, the boys immediately joined them and followed suit.

However, Threetails merely reduced her broccoli assailants to dust via eye lasers, disabling all chances for regeneration. All other past villains suffered the same fate or disappeared after getting tossed aside. After torturing the evil Rowdyruffs and tossing them into Mojo, the empty space around Threetails got filled once Him stomped on her and prepared to crush her like an aluminum can. (In comparison, she basically was the same size as one.) She made no escape attempts. "Is that the best you can do, Grendel?"

"**OH, GET OVER YOURSELF ALREADY! YOU'RE BEATEN, ADMIT IT!"** At the sound of his voice, a black mist emanated from his body that threatened Threetails. "**THIS MIST WILL RIP YOU AND YOUR INTREPATUFF SQUEAKS TO LITTLE BREAKFAST BITES!"** Worry now settled inside the scorpion demon's head. Whatever she waited for, she must get it done before Him's words became reality.

Back in Townsville, the exhausted heroes at long last caught up with their opponent and got the drop on it via making it tie itself into a knot. Then Bubbles delivered a kick that knocked it over like a domino. "Now I wanna break his teeth," she growled.

"I got a better idea," Boomer said, "Burn the darn thing." All unleashed their eye lasers on the incapacitated mass, which seemed to shrink instead of crumble. Eye lasers turned off, the six then walked up to what appeared as a round box lid whose inside surface was a black-and-white target sign. But they didn't figure it out yet.

"Interesting," Brick observed, picking it up, "A circular lid with three rings retracting outward."

"Some kind of disc?" Buttercup wondered.

"Looks like a big eyeball," Blossom noted.

"Hmm…" all hummed. But the thinking session didn't last long before their hearing sensors picked up a distant noise.

"Sounds like an airplane's having engine trouble," Butch suggested.

Wrong answer. All gasped when a missile came into view, its tip bearing the same target design. No prizes for guessing what this meant. "Cripes!" Brick exclaimed, "This thing's a target!" The group absentmindedly ran around panicking while the missile inched its way closer. But closer observation showed the dust swirl about and then transform into doll versions of the girls and boys which stood by the nearest tree. The heroes in question only stared quizzically at first.

"Is this some kind of a joke?" Bubbles wondered. The dolls suddenly leapt around the area shooting lightning bolts from their feet and hands. That being the last straw, the heroes charged forward screaming before stomping the sextuple renegade into cotton mush. Then they retracted.

"That better be it," Boomer threatened. With the dolls going limp, all watched the same red orb as before coated in a blue aura floated up to the atmosphere and harmlessly exploded into a fading mess of firework flares.

"Yep," Blossom confirmed, "That did it."

"**HAD ENOUGH YET, THREETAILS? THERE'S STILL TIME LEFT TO ADMIT MY SUPERIORITY OVER YOU!"** Him continued his dual unwavering assault upon the humanoid pupa. Wait for it, she thought, Wait for it…there! Threetails plunged her fingers deep into one thigh, instigating a pain which Him wouldn't escape from in the least. "**AUGH!** **NO, THIS IS ALL WRONG!"**

"Your essence is mine! I'm the superior demon!" Him struggled and pulled and puffed, but those stubborn claws refused to budge loose. A deep gray silhouette overshadowed the one reality that never existed.

"**NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"** Whatever barrier covering the red abode made sure his screams didn't echo into the evening. Him turned a strange maroon as all life left his body. And once Threetails finished her 'feeding', her opponent/victim shattered like glass spread far around her. The oppressed 'citizens' faded out after what appeared as mourning. She never looked back at the room disappearing due to its owner's absence.

Back in her own lair, the same chest slot which sucked up the ITG opened again and dropped its contents out. Shaking their heads, the trio woke up naturally feeling clueless. "Hey, what happened?" Azalea piped up, "How'd we get in here?"

"Good question," Penny said, "The last thing I remember was the mistress massaging us; then we went beddy-bye. Oh yeah, I also had this funny dream with her roasting the Broccoloids and taking on every Townsvillain and…"

"Look!" Tuesday interrupted. All six eyes panned towards Threetails floating in place with a glowing crack running straight down the middle of her chest.

"Oh no!" Penny wailed, "The mistress is falling apart!"

"No, it's her shell," Azalea corrected. The demon's shell then fell off and disappeared into the floor upon impact, revealing her tails still wrapped around the rest of her body like a shawl and her head hidden by the glow. As the tails (remaining essentially unchanged except in size) unwrapped and the glow faded, out came an adult female torso wearing a new one-piece body suit made of dark-gray leather and accompanied by a bronze breastplate. Long flowing hair of white, black, and orange practically overshadowed her backside. A pale brown face; medium black claws; the same red-orange eyes; same face and neck armor; white crystal shoulder pads; one curving toe point on each foot; elbow spikes; and ragged cuisses completed Threetails' true form. Once again, the ITG became the first individuals struck in awe.

"Ooooooh," the three chorused.

The End


	16. The Time Has Come

It was a shame. Every member within Townsville's villainous ranks so badly wanted their own piece of the Powerpuff Girls. Now someone with a dark past like Him (if not darker) had come along and consumed every single one bone and all for her own horrible agenda. However, lower criminals wondered where exactly things had gone more wrong even before Threetails emerged into a new world. Was it when Buttercup unintentionally visited the universe of Shadow Thing? Was it the day a new Blossom naturally led the assault against that nanobot/Dynamo hybrid? How about Bubbles' maturation? Or did the Rowdyruff Boys' transition from evil to good have the intended effect? No one knew for sure. At first glance, even after Threetails regained her full bodily form via absorbing children's nightmares, she never broke away from the same mysterious aura as her Intrepatuff Girls until after Mojo Jojo suffered the same fate. And with further difficulties passed by, Threetails unwittingly promised the preexisting Townsvillains their piece of six heroes rather than just three, though not in the way they expected.

Repairs of tonight's battle with the final orb came and went, but they were pleasant. Unlike passersby who talked amongst one other, the heroes remained silent throughout the entire procession. From beginning to end, they couldn't fully concentrate on fixing things but managed anyhow while keeping quiet. Conversation shifted around as they slowly flew home. "What a hassle," Butch started, "We protect some really fortunate yet dumb people, I tell ya. No offense."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Blossom added, "The truth remains, we can't let that mar us from our duties."

"We got Threetails and the Intrepatuff Girls on our backs too," Bubbles chimed, "Even though they're not really on our backs, but still. Say, does this mean we gotta get back to the original plan and hunt them down like we tried to do earlier?" All paused to stretch and yawn before continuing flight. "So, are we going?"

"Nah, we better resume it tomorrow and hope they don't give us a rude awakening," Brick answered, "It's been a long, tiring evening."

"Yeah, especially for the robot…I mean, target…or…" Boomer agreed, "Well, especially for that thing with the red orb inside."

"Hmmm…" Buttercup hummed, caught up in something.

"What's new, Buttercup?" Butch asked.

"Just thinking about the Intrepatuff Girls, that's all."

"Hmmm…" the others hummed, intrigued. Landing on their home's front lawn, the six X-creations now shared the same thought. Although they'd never seen the way Threetails implemented harsh discipline upon Azalea, the PPG's recent trip to Merringale more than made up for new confusion. Once the demon got her heart back, the ITG could've easily injured or destroyed their hostages afterward but instead kept the deal. In fact, the way Penny only lightly scorched the grass without firing anywhere else during her first brawl against Bubbles should've hinted something larger a lot sooner if not for other complications. Threetails was evil; that much everyone knew. So she created the ITG for evil, right? Or did she unwittingly slip up somewhere along the line? And for that matter, when did Threetails turn into a big floating cocoon with arms? Did it have anything to do with Mojo's death and his lair's destruction? What exactly was she up to?

"Oh, too many questions!" Blossom complained, holding her head, "Let's just get to bed. We'll need a fresh start." The door closed just as quickly as they'd opened it for passage inside.

Townsville's general populace slept relatively well that night while the three currently existing Chemical X trios tossed and turned with differences in stress levels. Nothing more than Threetails' completed metamorphosis occurred for the remainder of the evening save for the finger gestures she used instead of her voice to get her underlings to bed. The PPG and RRB could barely restrain anxiousness of finally eliminating the demon, all the while nearly knocking each other onto their bedroom floors. On the other hand, the ITG didn't understand why their mistress instigated their stress. What hadn't they learned? What was she hiding? How come she never let them see the outside world more often? Nothing added up without aid from different sources.

Threetails was also in a rut, preventing her from seizing the perfect opportunity to strike the surface with its guard down. Gray light from her glowing figure drowning the room, the newly reborn demon levitated with her legs crossed together pondering various matters. Pure quiet lasting well into midnight would've made a ticking clock echo hard if she installed one. Now that her bonus quest was done, she could do anything she wanted. She could level entire continents, boil whole oceans, lay worlds to waste, eat any substance, etc. Her eyebrows cocked at remembrance of an earlier rant: "_What's with the diner? …I thought stuff like that was 'too trivial'_"

By that, Threetails meant no true demon (from her perspective) had any need for material riches. Then her thoughts trailed back to her former lake-bound home in South Africa. Back then, she managed fields containing rich mineral and table salt deposits; fruits and vegetables growing high as an elephant's eye while outside farms' crops weren't even knee-high to a grasshopper; other helpful plants repelling possible pests; some useless fissure; and a palace made entirely of gold, silver, and assorted desert jewelry (excluding opals). Like Mojo Jojo during the PPG's 'cootie gras', Threetails took great pride in everything she owned. Anyone foolish enough to ask for or even attempt stealing the smallest helping perished. Then came the first fateful day of her life…

Oh well. Looking back on it now, Threetails shrugged the memory off. Her experiences in the present time taught her just how much she'd overlooked her own capabilities. Everything comprising the lake property was all a matter of the past. The demon's spiteful eyes darted towards the ITG's bedroom door. With all this power, wouldn't that mean she required no further assistance?

Morning shined its brightest only three hours after the ITG found R.E.M. That is, until Threetails called them out of it using a slightly deeper, new adult-like voice. "Intrepatuffs! Come in here!" Surprisingly, while stretching and yawning, the three discovered they felt a tidbit more energized than they usually did falling fast asleep ahead of time.

"Coming, Mistress!" they chorused. After getting dressed, the ITG's eyes bulged at an amazing sight behind their bedroom door. Nectarines; maize; grapes; assorted citrus; jugs of milk; and plates of roast beef swamped the entire room much like a certain rival group's temporary toy collection, all but blotting out furniture and walls. Silence rang high and long as the trio knew not how to approach the scene, other than an eventual shared stutter. "Uhhhhh…"

"What're you waiting for?" Threetails' voice echoed.

"Mistress?" Tuesday said, "Where're you calling from?"

"Never mind. Today's the day I march into the world as empress. Eat your breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Penny wondered, "You mean…all this food and milk is for us?"

"Who else? You must be famished after a stressful night's sleep."

A stomach grumbling which the girls' eyes followed confirmed the demon's statement. So they leapt into the breakfast ocean and wasted no time satisfying their starvation. Azalea squeezed some lemon juice on her own face but lapped it up anyhow. Tuesday popped two bunches of grapes into her mouth and gulped them down with minimal chewing, stem and all. Penny washed down seven slices of beef with one swig of milk from the nearest jug. More and more chomping, chugging, and swallowing saw a cleanup in the room little by little.

Nearly a half hour later after a bathroom trip, the ITG stood within the room's center waiting for their next command. "That was good, Mistress," Azalea complimented, "Now what?"

Threetails appeared before them, feeling cocky though not showing it. "Tell me, Intrepatuffs. How long have we known each other? Your whole lives?"

"Well, yeah," Tuesday answered, "You made us."

"What's on the agenda for us today now that you got your true form back?" Penny asked. In response, the gray glow around Threetails not only expanded but also dimmed into a faint silvery value. The ITG looked nervous as the room's furnishings and architecture appeared to fade into a grayish yellow.

"Uh, Mistress?" Azalea inquired, "You feelin' okay?" The demon didn't answer.

"Mistress, you're looking extremely volatile," Tuesday pointed out. No response.

"Mistress?" Penny said. Still no response. Nodding to each other, the ITG attempted leaving the hideout but floated back down clutching their weak sides.

"Ohhhhhh…" they groaned.

"What's wrong, children? Eat and drink too much? Stress is one important hunger factor." The look Threetails gave the ITG's bedroom last night wasn't just out of boredom. Because their nighttime nervousness accelerated digestion of any beverages or foodstuffs they'd consumed earlier yesterday, Threetails sought to take advantage of resulting starvation by having the group stuff themselves silly. In turn, that not only gave them stomachaches but made difficult the slightest superpowered movements such as levitation. She wanted to ensure her own creations' annihilation. The three could only watch in shock, confusion, and stomach pain. "I AM REBORN!"

On the surface, white light streams from tiny holes in the ground preceded a contained explosion. The resulting tremors reached the air, nearly knocking the oncoming PPG and RRB off-course. Dazed, the six immediately stood back up and brushed themselves off. "Whoa!" Boomer declared, "What a shake!"

"No wonder!" Brick pointed out, "Look!" They continued flying over and inspected the rubble, which wasn't as deep as it was wide. From their viewpoint, a huge pit-like shape filled to the brim with dug-up soil and plant matter stretched over where Threetails' hideout once existed. Although it almost but didn't quite take up as much space as the former black lake, the heroes yet felt distressed. None mentioned a single detail concerning the ITG.

"Hoo-ee," Buttercup commented, "Did Threetails self-destruct or something?"

"Let's check it out," Blossom commanded. After touching down on the dark-brown patch, each X-creation went in his or her own direction searching for clues. The freshly broken ground sunk beneath them a few inches every second or so, but they all maintained a steady balance. After inspection, the group came back together with nothing to share. "Find anything?"

"Nope," Bubbles answered, "Just dirt, grass…and more dirt."

"Maybe there's something underneath," Butch decided, "Let's dig – no, let's use our x-ray vision." But explosions from Townsville suggested a different course of action.

"No, let's go whip scorpion hinny," Buttercup announced. Too bad no one looked behind seconds after their departure. Soil got pushed aside as a dirty, dark-skinned mitt made itself visible.

High above the main road, Threetails floated slowly forward blasting vehicles, buildings, and other objects at random with her eye lasers to start out. She eventually grew bored as people naturally cleared out of Townsville in a split second. "Snoresville. Let's make it count." Her wiggling tails dove straight into the pavement and through the sewers, ripping up the entire path as if uprooting a tree. Next, electricity from her fingertips leveled three entire blocks. After that, Threetails landed on the street so hard creating a fissure, which filled with ocean water, before floating again just as quickly. "Now, what next?"

"How 'bout you-whoa!" Blossom said. Threetails faced the heroes eye to eye; the girls had good reason to be shocked since they'd witnessed her entire metamorphosis chain, whereas the boys felt uncertain.

"So, this is the mighty Threetails we heard so much about, huh?" Brick added, "We thought you'd be…well…shorter. Or was it with a shell?"

"Where have you been, up an orange tree?" Threetails retorted, "It's time you learned why I'm called Threetails." Thus resumed a relatively old scuffle. The demon couldn't describe how good it felt giving her signature appendages a good workout after what seemed like a new set of eons. Showing off an advanced version of the same previous fighting technique as a youth, the PPG matched it a tad easier than did the unfamiliar RRB. Physical blows, tail jabs, flying tail barbs, eye lasers, hand lasers, windstorms, venom, etc. turned the surrounding area into a wasteland resembling crumbly cheese. Pretty soon, Threetails gained the upper hand and launched herself straight at the heroes, bashing them through Townsville Hall (crumbling it in the process) before pile-driving them with a series of quick punches into a sidewalk. Afterward, she back-flipped away into a fighting pose to allow her peeved, panting opponents a chance to stand back up, ready to return the favor.

"You just had to remind us of that experience, didn't you?" Boomer growled.

"Whaddaya gonna do about it?" Threetails taunted, "Bite my fingers off? Cry all over me?"

"Even better!" the six chorused, immediately zipping about the scene. Threetails calmly stood still waiting for them to make a move. Images of each child appeared at various points, some of which gave her a raspberry or other. Pretty soon, she just barely caught the PPG stampeding towards her from the left in a screaming rage. She then turned right and saw the RRB doing the same. Tension accompanied the passing seconds. But once the heroes thought they'd acquired direct aim, they stopped just as quickly with only an inch or two between their opposing parties long enough to find thin air replacing the demon. "Huh?"

They expanded their shared distance and looked about. "Where'd she go?" Butch wondered. Suddenly, Threetails appeared again to administer each hero his or her own induced crushing blow: a knee kick in Blossom's belly; a smack to Boomer's neck; a punch into Brick's right eye; an elbowing on Bubbles' head; a crack upon Butch's back; and a smack across Buttercup's face, all in the blink of an eye. Again, Threetails stood firm while the heroes fell limp only to slowly get back on their feet. However, they never caught a sucker punch sending them right back towards Malph's supermarket which immediately collapsed and buried them. Threetails stretched her limbs.

"Huh. They've been pretty busy themselves, I see. Those Powerpuffs are a lot tougher than I last remember, and the Rowdyruffs are no easier. No matter. It's time they popped their clogs." Warming up her eye lasers, Threetails took steady aim towards the flat pile of concrete, metal, and glass. But a familiar voice made her cancel the attack.

"Mistress!" Tuesday screamed. A surprised Threetails turned and saw the ITG – bruised; scraped; dirty; tattered clothing; and ragged hair; and feeling unconscientiously incensed themselves – fly onto the scene.

"Intrepatuffs?"

"Don't 'Intrepatuffs' us," the yellow 'tuff continued, "Mistress, what were you thinking? Blowing up the hideout like that, without giving us an escaping chance!"

"Yeah, you could've killed us!" Azalea threw in.

"Look what you did to Quill!" Penny whined, holding up ripped remains of the stuffed pineapple.

"How did you survive my flash?" Threetails interrogated, ignoring their concerns.

"C'mon, Mistress," Tuesday responded, "You trained us better than that. Now answer our questions. Did you let the metamorphosis get to your head?"

Eyeing them dangerously, Threetails calmly walked over and told them everything she no longer needed kept secret. "Okay, I'm gonna say this once, so listen well. I've told you lies mixed in with truth. My troubled history down in South Africa, the story of your manufacture, and obviously my metamorphosis were all truth. Yes, I was allergic to opals back then; emphasis on 'was'. And training did bring my increasing strength under control. I'm not even gonna mention anything about my heart or those orbs. See, I lied about the power stones I so mentioned. I never would've reached my true form if I hadn't swallowed the majority of Townsville's 'major public enemies'. Most got easily vacuumed up through my mouth, but I had to plunge my claws into the monkey and lobster's flesh to get at the crunchy center since they were the largest energy sources."

By now, the ITG's faces fell slack. "You did what?" Azalea blurted.

"I flaunted my evil superiority. I showed this hapless burg that I'm the real and only threat." She grabbed the three to hold them up close. "You three made excellent personal guard while I was down, but now you've worn out your usefulness. I don't need you anymore."

"But we're your daughters!" Penny protested, "You said you'd make us officers!"

"What're you getting at?" Tuesday questioned.

"Daughters? Nope, never heard of 'em. I only created you Intrepatuffs because I needed someone strong enough, but not too strong, to guard me while I was helpless until I became what I am right now. You three were my personal guard, my pawns; I never loved you in the first place. Had I not imposed all those restrictions to outside informational access, I imagine you getting wise too soon and repelling before last night. Though, for a while I thought the way I lashed out at you the night of your mutations might've softened you up to the failing point in my evil career." Neither Threetails nor the disappointment-stricken ITG noticed the heroes flying towards them, having heard every sentence.

"So…we're not becoming officers?" Penny softly spoke.

"Of course not. What further need have I for underlings when I'm fully capable of conquering the universe myself? I like being alone. NOW BEAT IT!" With that, she tossed her ex-followers straight into the ocean's surface. Threetails then powered up her eye lasers again in the same direction after a towering ocean mist preceded a rather small dunk. "Better confirm their destruction."

"Excuse me," Buttercup interrupted. Eye lasers powering down, Threetails faced some rather stern-looking heroes.

"Back for more punishment, I see. Let's just see you pillow your way out."

"We've heard enough!" Brick retorted. They narrowly dodged an attempted stinging on whoever was unfortunate enough to let her tails strike three random necks. During the next vain round of blows, Threetails couldn't help returning to her ranting self.

"The fact that your persistence won't last pales in comparison to the fact that Townsville has the dumbest people in existence. Why bother protecting them in the first place, anyway?"

"Sorry, Threetails," Blossom said, "Been there, done that."

"Judging by their stupidity rate, you were better off allowing that monster to wipe 'em all out. I'm not the one asking superpowered beings to change my lightbulbs or open a pickle jar. In fact, I don't even use that stuff. And if I were you, I'd never forgive my teacher for subjecting my classmates to heat stroke, not keeping an eye on suspicious 'new students' ahead of time, or imposing some dumb curfew. Come to think of it, I'm not the one asking others how to spell my own name."

"Would you give it a rest already?" Bubbles demanded, "We get the idea."

"You sure like to talk a lot," Butch smarted.

"Oh, but the list goes on. I never even mentioned the part about letting some punk kid torture the class hamster." Having heard enough, the group temporarily retreated after realizing this was all getting them nowhere. Just as quickly, Threetails disappeared into thin air a second time.

"Oh, great," Boomer complained, "Not this again."

"Look out!" Blossom alerted. Pushing the others down, she too lay flat on the ground as one of the demon's tails thrust out like a spear from one side. A tremor inspired them to fly up just as another tail erupted beneath their feet, joined immediately by the first and hot on the group's trail. All split up, but the tails quickly emerged from random ground points like volcanoes on a sugar rush, with the third soon coming into play. However, it also wasn't long until Brick caught one to hold firmly – followed up by his brothers – thereby discontinuing the craziness. In response, Threetails had to retract her limbs and come out of hiding all the while attempting to loosen the exerting boys' grip.

"We got her!" Brick called, doing his best to keep the stinger from contacting the front of his neck, "C'mon…whoa whoa whoa whoa! Eep! Ah! Ooh!" Naturally, the other two met with the same resistance.

"Hey hey hey hey hey hey!" Boomer protested, another stinger close to his cheek, "Don't even…think about it!"

"Oh oh!" Butch chimed, that stinger near his chest, "Watch it! Don't come any closer!"

"Let…my…tails…loose!" a puffing Threetails demanded. Taking advantage of this, the girls joined them on the ground resuming the onslaught. Although the demon's stingers were nowhere near the backs of anyone's necks, nobody dared take chances.

"How's it feel to be so helpless without yer giddy tails?" Buttercup shot.

"Actually, I just remembered another nitpick: Remember your precious Professor Utonium?"

"Like he has anything to do with this?" Blossom replied.

"I don't blame you for wanting a break and aid, considering your busy schedule. But what kind of idiot parent subjects their offspring to more strenuousness without guilt? Do you truly believe he deserved such easy forgiveness?"

"Good points," Bubbles admitted, "Now would you PLEASE SHUT UP?"

Threetails slammed the boys down onto the girls, breaking their hold on her limbs. But just before she got another chance at stinging anybody, the scorpion demon halted with surprise written on her face. Having taken this opportunity to distance themselves a bit from her, the heroes felt just as curious about a new power influx expressed in the form of a lime energy ribbon wrapping around parts of her persona. The sky immediately turned maroon. "Hey, what's the deal?" Boomer wondered. While she wore an understanding expression, Threetails' following cryptic statement answered all.

"Hmmm. It seems my metamorphosis doesn't stop here. Welcome to the end, children!" With that, she jumped up in the air as shadows enveloped all but her eyes. Arms became muscle-bound scorpion claws. Two extra, jointed legs sprouted from the sides of her torso. Regular legs thickened while feet each sprouted two sickle-shaped heel spikes and two sharp triangular toes. Tails thickened, and torso expanded. Until now, only the demon's red-orange eyes were visible until her head became round and produced a round mouth of protruding teeth. But anyone thinking the transformation might be over got proven wrong as a rising shadow fell upon the disbelieving heroes. Dim moonlight illuminated a gargantuan black scorpion with red-orange pincers on the sides of her mouth once she stood several more stories above the rooftops. In fact, evacuees at least two miles away saw every detail without a telescope. Silence rang until a roar from Threetails snapped the ever-nervous group back to reality.

"Okay, Threetails, we're calling you out!" Butch stated, "No more games!" Claws and tails lashed out at the heroes, who flew off in different directions around her. That's when the scorpion demonstrated a new technique: A double snapping from either claw unleashed black energy which reduced any unfortunate target – living or nonliving – into black sand, much as a certain multi-eyed monster long since knocked into outer space. When the right moment came, so did a more colorful barrage. Butch's many Energy Halos utterly tied up Threetails while growing stronger from Buttercup's Energy Spheres. Bubbles then unleashed her Sonic Scream on one side with Boomer bringing up his Sonic Clap on the other. At front, Blossom and Brick presented their combination Ice Breath/Fire Breath corkscrew beam onto the demon's head. However, tightened fists and cubiti gave way not only to dispersing the assaults but sending the heroes tumbling and leveling more of Townsville. After holding up her arms roaring, Threetails energized her eye lasers upon the onlooking six who instantly followed suit. Rather than matching blast for blast, hers cut through theirs and showered mainly on their faces.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" the six screamed. Once it stopped, the kids stood back up just in time to discover greater unexpected damage.

"Is everyone okay?" Brick asked.

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Buttercup asked, "Where'd everybody go?"

"I can't see a thing!" Bubbles wailed, "I never thought my dream would come true."

"We can still hear!" Boomer reminded, "That's gotta be worth something!"

Not allowing them recovery time, an exasperated Threetails took aim and stretched her tails towards them. However, a miracle came in the form of yellow, silver, and brown flashes intercepting the limbs in mid-flight keeping a steady hold. Although the ITG had lost much vigor after their ocean-based toss, they wouldn't let anything prevent them from repelling their former superior. Threetails wasn't half as surprised as she was annoyed. "Strike defenseless opponents, ex-Mistress?" Tuesday spoke, "Not on our watch!"

"Hey, that voice!" Blossom familiarized, "Tuesday!"

"RRROOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!"

"Roar all you want, you big walking piece of lying licorice!" Penny retorted, "We're not letting go!"

"Sure sounds like the Intrepatuff Girls, although they're still pretty blurry," Brick added.

"Rrrrrrrr…"

"Your worst fear's come alive," Azalea threw in, "But that's what you get for betraying your own teachings and disowning your own children! Serves us right for looking up to you!" Ever unwavering, Threetails took control by coiling her tails around each 'tuff and flinging them downward. Rather than cause craters, however, the particular trio bounced back up twirling as if having landed on a trampoline. Through blurry vision slowly coming back, the heroes just barely caught sight of the three taking the neck-based fatality instead. Time seemed to freeze for the Powerpuffs, the Rowdyruffs, the Intrepatuffs, and Townsville's appalled populace. Next, as the poor creatures tumbled out of the sky, Threetails took new aim with her claws gathering more black energy. Though, it fired the same moment once the other six X-creations regained full vision, who grabbed their saviors away just as it struck what remained of Townsville Harbor. With only a few buildings standing, the PPG and RRB picked a wrecked convenience store whose outer walls they leaned the ITG up against. The victims in question's skin had now turned a sickly greenish-black mix.

"You saved us," Boomer commented, "You didn't have to, but you did."

"Forgive us," Penny choked, "We're…sorry."

"We thought…we were…doing…the right thing," Azalea said.

"Save your strength," Butch advised. Threetails was closing in.

"She used us…to her…own gains," Tuesday puffed, "Bring her…down…for us."

"How?" Brick asked, "She's too powerful." Unfortunately, the ITG collapsed before they could say another word. Their arms fell limp; no one felt a pulse or heartbeat. Floating out to what used to be the building's front side, the PPG and RRB's stern looks made the demon stop short and roar.

"You good-for-nothing lunkhead!" Bubbles yelled, "Those were your own children!"

Shaking her head indifferently, Threetails attempted a simultaneous triple-sting which the heroes neatly dodged. However, they didn't move fast enough to avoid a direct hit via another black blast. The screaming heroes felt its corrupt, debilitating effects all but rip them apart. Threetails certainly mentioned absorbing immeasurable negativity for all to hear, but no one knew how far the intensity extended until now. Defiant screams soon interrupted it. X-creations and demon eyed the source: Townsville's returned population. Not a single mortal face showed fear. "What're you all doing?" Buttercup questioned, "It's not safe here!"

"Infanticide is a major infraction in our books!" one voice called, "This is our city! We've been running away all our lives, and now we're through running!"

"Yeah!" everybody else chorused. Alas, as Threetails didn't really care, she snapped her claws and opened fire upon the entire procession.

"NOOO!" the heroes cried, too late to save anyone. Amazingly, the citizens just faced it without hesitation. A golden barrier stood firmly once the black light cleared up. Threetails roared in anger and dished out other means: scorpion stingers, eye lasers, venom, punches, etc. The RRB and PPG meanwhile studied the ordeal intently while relating it to their calamity seconds ago.

"What's the deal?" Buttercup wondered.

"Hmm," Blossom figured, "Pure evil…courageous citizens…gold shield…of course! Why didn't we see it before?"

"What?" Bubbles asked.

"Don't you remember what we just felt? Threetails said she absorbed all the villains. And what did they share in common?"

"They wanted to destroy everything and everyone," Butch realized, "They were evil."

"Right," Brick added, "The people's shield is a sign of positivity expressed as courage. She can't kill them with all the surrounding good. Get the idea?"

"Crystal clear!" Boomer announced, "Let's get positive!"

Soon enough, Threetails quit her vain assaults to see the heroes float above the populace with the shield gone. Following the passing of a short stalemate, the demon concentrated two-thirds of her energy into what she thought might be the necessary finishing blow. "C'mon, people!" Blossom requested, "Help us show her what for!" In response, every possible happy thought mustered by each citizen bathed the heroes in a warm orange glow. Charging for Threetails one last time, the intensity of the sextet's energy dispersed her next blast effortlessly. Colorful trails created a stronger gravitational tornado than the one which already destroyed one super nanobot and Dynamo; PPG or RRB, each trio needed all possible help just to get Threetails airborne. Her growls, grunts, and roars exchanged perplexity for irritation.

"ROOOAAAAAAAARRRRRR!" At a height of twelve miles, projected images of the heroes again seemingly taunted her without making faces. Since she'd no other means to break lose, Threetails blasted and stung with little to no progress. "ROOOAAARRRR!"

"Hurry up, girls!" Brick coached, "Deliver the finishing blow! We'll hold her down!"

"Are sure about that?" Blossom called.

"Positive! There's no other way!" Bearing looks of uncertainty, the girls broke away without question. They then looked upon the now red, dark-blue, and dark-green mass taking direct aim.

"This is it, girls," Blossom said, "No turning back. We must use our secret weapon."

"You mean…" Bubbles began.

"You sure?" Buttercup wondered, "I mean, we've never used it for a good while in practice or in a real fight."

"And what about our boys?" Bubbles added, "They might not make it!"

The girls looked towards the tornado, which appeared to be losing altitude very slowly. Yes indeed; whatever finishing move they had in store might definitely defeat Threetails at the expense of their sweethearts. Then again, what alternate option existed? "Like we've any other choice?" Blossom continued, her throat choking, "…C'mon girls. The boys wouldn't want us…to…" Rather than finish, the Powerpuff leader joined her sisters in putting some distance between themselves and the tornado all the while each one curling up into a ball. Atmospheric rebound, white flashing trails due to friction, and three individuals merging into a black flaming projectile – a move they hadn't used since Mr. Green substituted their class – preceded penetration of the colored funnel ahead.

"Rrrahh?" Threetails barely felt the projectile zipping right through her chest and back out the opposite side of the funnel. Once that happened, all six heroes then broke away from their formations and gathered in a procession to not only exchange hugs but also watch the results. Within seconds of more perplexity, pain spread throughout Threetails' entire body. The energy imbalance made different body parts switch temporarily to previous stages in her metamorphosis. Her head switched to the previous stage. "NOOOOOOOO!" It switched to the first, youthful stage. "BEATEN DOWN BY CHILDREN!" The adult-like head with flowing hair; tails and torso of her beastly fourth stage; sickle-clawed arms of the second stage; and legs from the first stage had created a Threetails collage when she turned to stone. People below stood back when the statue-turned demon plunged to the ground in several pieces, which instantly evaporated into black steam.

The PPG and RRB touched down in front of the vigil crowd, inspecting that same spot. "Is she gone?" someone wondered, "Didja get her?"

"Dunno," Boomer shrugged, "Um…" A familiar screeching interrupted the session. All turned and saw a familiar pink face and mess of black fur making disoriented cartwheels around the block. Judging by his expression, it seemed the little creature remembered nothing about his wicked reputation, much less getting absorbed by a youthful demon with three scorpion tails.

"Hey!" Buttercup noted, "It's Mojo Jojo! Or Jojo, at any rate."

"Doo da la dee day, doo da la dee day!" a familiar voice sang. Everybody ran some distance toward what remained of the park and found a calm Fuzzy Lumkins strumming on a segmented metal slab as if one with the universe. Too, he displayed neither hostility nor memory of previous experiences. "Ooh, music lovers! I ain't got a real banjo, but this here piece o' aluminum siding works wonders."

"Uhhhh…" the crowd stuttered.

"I wonder…?" Blossom said. Heroes and civilians spread out in all directions and found one interesting sight after another. It seems after that last blow, every single victim of absorption or other had been restored back to life with added effects. Picking up trash near Malph's, Sedusa now fully pulled off her 'Ima Goodlady' ego complete in white dress; regular white hair; and virtually no hostility. The Gangrene Gang stood in Bonsai Gardens Park fully cured of green skin and the like. Ace had a flat bucktooth much like his comrade Big Billy. The giant in question held a contented Kitty in his lap; a slight gust temporarily brushed away his hair to unveil two eyes instead of just one. Grubber stood tall without his crooked neck, bent back, bulging eyes, or hanging tongue. Arturo looked pretty much the same except for tan skin. Snake continued resembling a snake without the thin tongue, pink beady eyes, or claws.

A roach – most likely Roach Coach out of his mechanical shell – scurried on by without a care. The Amoeba Boys appeared in deep thought but didn't even try 'littering'. From an aerial viewpoint, the heroes saw a bunch of people standing upon the same dirty patch outside and zoomed in for a closer look. However, not even the Citysville mayor seemed to remember the law he passed banning superpowers within the settlement's city limits. All in all, Threetails' victims stood reborn as physically and mentally healthy organisms. But Threetails herself, Him, those possessing the animal dolls, and every other demon present were all pretty much gone for good. When someone finally came across them not long after the sky lost its maroon glow, the cured ITG had good reason to feel nervous. "It's okay," Bubbles reassured, "We heard everything Threetails told you."

"Really?" Azalea asked.

"Yep!" came another voice from the crowd, "And we saw your heroic efforts!"

"So, you won?" Penny wondered, "You defeated Threetails?"

"We all did!" both heroes and crowd chorused.

Two days' worth of in-between time were history. With rapid assistance and plenty of funds, Townsville stood tall once more. Friendly gestures brought out less antagonistic sides from the scorpion demon's victims. Former villains like Sedusa (now Ima Goodlady), the Salami Swami, and Fuzzy Lumkins decided to start over in Merringale. Others went elsewhere: Jojo got deported off to a wildlife preserve in the Republic of Congo; the Amoeba Boys became governmental subjects in the expanding wonders of medical science; and the Gangrene Gang and Kitty gained new homes around. Out came the following adoptions: Ace; Ms. Keane, Arturo; Mayor Mayor, Grubber; Sara Bellum; Snake; Ima Goodlady, and Big Billy and Kitty; Fuzzy Lumkins. Citysville's lost populace would spend several months in a special camp (not necessarily containment) until a new city was founded upon the ruins, giving them time to plan out a new start.

On Townsville's outskirts, the ITG and PPG found how much they had to talk about while the RRB watched from a distance. Penny brandished a new Quill doll which she introduced to Bubbles, who did likewise with Octi. "Say hello to Octi, Quill," Penny said, "'Hello, Octi'."

"'Hello, Quill'," Bubbles imitated, "'Do you wanna be my friend?'"

"'Friend? You mean your girlfriend?'"

"'No, just regular friends. My heart belongs to Spouts, Boomer's orange whale doll. Sorry.'"

"'That's okay. I guess I can go with that.'"

"So, you were good the whole time, huh?" Buttercup stated.

"Uh huh," Azalea replied, "I'm not used to apologizing, but…well…"

"Ah, don't sweat it. You already apologized a hundred times in the past two days."

"You counted?"

"No, silly. It's just an estimate."

"Oh."

"I've been meaning to ask you this whole time but never got around to it," Blossom realized, "If you switched from good to evil like our boys, where're yer inner demons?"

"We were good the whole time," Tuesday explained, "See, when it comes to organisms born from Chemical X, the creator's intentions play by far the largest role. Think about your Professor Utonium. He desired to create kids whom he could call his own and do good for a hopeless Townsville, hence you Powerpuff Girls."

"Right."

"The Rowdyruff Boys were trickier. Recall that Mojo Jojo created them for evil. Well, when you girls injected your wave of purity, you ended up with two separate sets: good and evil."

"Yeah, and?"

"Considering Threetails' motives, we Intrepatuffs should've endured the same trials as them. Why not, you ask? Answer: She made us for loyalty, not evil. Though, it also depends on the recipe used, but that's another story. Professor Dick's knockoffs don't count anyway."

"So what's the difference?"

"There's quite a difference here. Unlike your boyfriends, we never went looking for trouble unless our ex-mistress told us to do so. Even with three certain people, we didn't act on our own. But the past is nearly history." Tuesday faced towards her sisters and directed them away to hoist supply bags over their shoulders, before which they prepared to depart.

"Going on vacation?" Bubbles inquired.

"Sort of," Tuesday continued, "I'm sure you have a good idea what it's like being cramped up in one dwelling for too long."

"I hear ya," Buttercup acknowledged, "Where're you headed off to? How long will you be gone?"

"Quite a long, long time," Penny chimed, "After we stop by and apologize to the three we put in that mental hospital, we're gonna go sightseeing around the whole world. When that's done, we plan on settling down someplace new and becoming superheroes in our own right."

"We know what yer thinking," Azalea explained, "Everybody's forgiven us, but we still wanna get a fresh new start elsewhere. We mean to find another place where we know we'll belong. Besides, Townsville's already got six protectors; nine would definitely be pushing it."

The PPG exchanged glances before shaking mitts with respective counterparts. "Whatever suits you best," Blossom said.

"Don't forget to write!" Bubbles and Buttercup threw in.

"We won't!" the ITG chorused, "Bye!" And they flew off into the unknown. Several seconds passed before the RRB slowly joined their girlfriends, both trios still momentarily watching.

"And there they go, off towards the next county," Boomer said.

"Yep," Bubbles agreed, "Not another question about it."

"Just outta curiosity, do you think we'll ever see 'em again?" Butch asked.

"Eh, I wouldn't doubt it," Buttercup guessed, "Craziness always follows Chemical X."

"That's that," Blossom concluded, directing the others back towards Townsville, "Now let's get back to where we belong."

"Yeah," Brick supplemented, "Say, how long's it been since our last date?" At the sound of the word 'date', all six children's eyes widened before their expressions melted into enthrallment. Once each one linked an arm with his or her respective lover, the sextet became three separate couples after four seconds' worth of floating distance and of course zoomed off into varying directions. With all they'd ever been through, the future yet looked even more interesting.

The End

Note: The phrase 'the end' is a real understatement: It's not just the end of the story, but also my entire PPG series. Yahoo!


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